Heart of the Trainer: Ranger
by MightyDesoto
Summary: What does it take to be a pokemon trainer? A case of misunderstanding puts one trainer in the middle of a clash between the light and dark sides of the pokemon universe. Will the bond between her pokemon be enough or will blood be shed? The misfortune she finds will provide the answer. (A more realistic approach to the pokemon world, written as a novel. Original Char. and story)
1. Prologue

Prologue

"I hate jobs like this. They give me the creeps."

"Would you shut up already."

A warehouse sat at the harbor's edge. Rust painted the corners and a salty wind chewed at its face. Two grunts stood guard outside one of the doors. They mimicked the charm of the building. The first was a thin young man new to the operation. The door behind him was the source of his anxiety. Chipped paint flaked off the front. Scratches veined along the spaces in between. Something squealed on the other side begging for mercy. It stopped abruptly. The newcomer swallowed hard as his imagination played with torturous scenarios involving pokemon. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this. His partner ignored the sounds. He had heard them before and was too sour to bother with them. Sour patch hunched into his brown striped black jacket and leaned against the warehouse.

"You get used to it," he mumbled.

The newbie's voice dropped to a whisper as if talking about it was taboo.

"What do you think they're doing in there?" he asked.

Sour patch rolled his eyes. Why did he have to get partnered with the criminal newborn? Maybe this was an opportunity to have a little fun. Sour patch pinched his eyes and put an air of secrecy on his lips.

"You wanna know what they're doin?" he whispered.

Sour patch glanced around before motioning for Baby to come closer. Baby held his breath and leaned in. The suspense had him by the throat.

"They're playin' doctor."

Sour patch's laugh disturbed the wingull nesting nearby. Baby glared and pulled away. A few curt exchanges were made until a snarl broke through the teasing. Both grunts jumped and looked back to the warehouse. The people inside started shouting. Something broke. A heavy object was dragged across the floor. A roar shook the walls before something crashed into the door. It bent out sharply. Baby fell back on his heels. Sour patch flinched. Electricity buzzed in the background and ended with the screech of a pokemon. The warehouse went silent. The grunts could not take their eyes away from the door. Their hearts pounded against their chests.

"I think you meant their playin' Frankenstein," Baby said.

Sour patch blinked and slowly looked to his partner before putting his gaze back on the door. Something behind it had the strength to snap iron like twigs. He swallowed hard. Maybe Baby had the right idea after all . . .


	2. Boulder Arc: 1

**Heart of the Trainer: **

**Ranger**

Boulder Ark: 1

A young woman stepped out onto the porch with a clack of the screen door behind her. The forest greeted her presence by rustling in the wind. Its thick walls kept the rest of the world at bay and made the howl echoing over the canopy more mysterious than usual. Wings scattered into the sky. Something was stirring across the region and it was big enough to reach the foot of the mountains. Aria felt it in her bones. The air was different. It was hard to tell why.

Was it change? Adventure? Opportunity? Disaster?

Was blood going to be spilled?

Would a new love be born?

Were tears going to be shed, and if so,

Were they of joy or sadness?

Was destiny to be blamed?

Aria did not know. No one did. Not a single psychic pokemon could provide the answer. It was a mystery. It was unknown: scary for some, exciting for others. Whatever it was, there was no avoiding it. Running would not take you far enough and hiding was a temporary solution. Standing your ground was the only option, taking the punches and delivering a few of your own.

That's what it was like to live in a world alongside pokemon.

That's what it was like,

To be a trainer.

Aria took a deep breath and exhaled a sigh of satisfaction. The mysterious tingle of the unknown was laden with a buzz of excitement. For one week, every year, the backwoods mountain town of Boulder had the honor of throwing one of the most elaborate and anticipated pokemon festivals of the year. It was so renowned for its food, fun, and competition that visitors from all over the Valenis Region came to join the festivities. Today was Arena Day, by far the most exciting day of the festival. The final pokemon battles of the tournament would take place and the pageant contest would start. Celebrations were at their peak. Although Aria's family cabin was out of range of the festivities, lodged deep within the mountain, she could almost hear the enthusiastic shouts and roars of the excited fans. The day could not have been better suited for it. The sky was bright and hopeful with crisp clean mountain air to fill the spaces in between. Aria smiled. This was the day the Pokemon Judicial and Practice Commission would accept her appeal.

Today was the day she could get one of her pokemon released.

The spirit of celebration called to Aria. She had looked forward to this day for an entire year. A hand instinctively moved to the pokebelt around her waist that fit better than her pants. Four pokeballs were attached, two on each hip. Two classic pokeballs scratched and chipped into perfection lined the right. She felt the warmth of the pokemon inside seep into her fingers. Aria locked the door to the house and trotted down the front steps. Her steps crunched with dirt and gravel but the sound was quieter than usual. Normally, eight little paws shadowed every step. Aria hardly ever carried her pokemon around in their balls. The life she lived was free. It was only natural for her pokemon to be the same. Aria's pokemon traveled at her side, not on it. But with the festival in full swing, it was better to keep them contained. All of the new sights, smells, trainers, and pokemon would instigate trouble if not properly supervised. Aria's pokemon were just as excited as she was to enjoy the celebration. Her finger tips brushed against the pokeballs like the stroke of a calligraphy pen. They grew warmer as if in response to her touch. She smiled as softly as her movements. Her pokemon would be alright. It was only for a little while. They would gladly exchange the escort for a ticket into the festival. Aria transitioned from the path to her driveway which melted into the road.

Her house was settled in the thick woods blanketing the Valic Mountain Range. It was a rural and isolated area. The mountain shadowed Aria's back as she walked down the long and steep road winding toward town. She did not make it far before veering off into the woods. It wouldn't be right to leave without all of her pokemon. The blue and white great ball on Aria's left hip was empty. Without its inhabitant, the ball did little to comfort its neighbor. The second one was not common. It was blacker than wet coal. The release button glowed as red as a demon's eye. Two clasps held the hinges together.

This pokeball was restless.

The trail led from the house to a nearby pond. Aria did not like the idea of keeping pokemon in their pokeballs all day. She wanted her pokemon to lavish in the freedom of the outside world where they belonged, even if she was not with them. The pond was the great ball's inhabitant's favorite spot. The path was thin to follow but Aria knew it like the back of her hand. It could have been covered in snow in the middle of the night with a foggy haze and she would still find it. She walked this path everyday but did not let her familiarity with it distract her. Aria lived in the thickest of the Valic Mountain Forests. It was a reservation sight that expanded for miles in untouched wilderness. There were no neighbors, only wild pokemon. The forest had been preserved for thousands of years because of the awe that it inspired. Despite the town and occasional residencies like Aria's, the mountain was respected. It was left as natural as possible to let wild pokemon flourish. Aria's family presided over one section of it called the Valic Mt. Conservation Sight, nicknamed Con for short. They dwelled within it, and like their predecessors, respected and lived with the wilderness rather than in or around it. Aria grew up on this land and with these principles. Her connection too it was as strong as mountains to the earth. She knew every tree and species of pokemon within.

It was late morning and Aria walked with pep in her step. She hoped to pick up her pokemon and get to the festival by mid afternoon. Her goal was to watch the final match of the tournament and be there for the champion's reveal. The morning's duties and chores prevented Aria from enjoying the full celebration. She was only too eager to dive in. Despite being in her mid twenties, the food, fun, and pokemon still had the wonder and allure as they did when she was a kid. It was a decent hike to the pond. Aria was careful to go around the beedrill nest that was becoming busier with the season. Their humming wings thrummed through the air. She admired it and remembered the first weedle that started the nest. Further on, Aria caught sight of a bellsprout. It wiggled its way across the path and fell over from it's top heavy head. Aria had to be careful despite her carefree attitude. The path had yet to be tamed and probably never would be. This was still wild country. Trouble had found her here more than once. But that was what she loved about this place.

What pokemon would she catch a glimpse of today? How many encounters would she have, many or none at all?

Aria was so close with the forest that she was a part of it. She was more pokemon than human at times, treading with the quiet ease of a persian. She stumbled across more wild pokemon than normal because of it. And stumbling was no exaggeration. Halfway down the path, Aria stubbed her foot into something. She lost her balance and fell into handfuls of dirt. A caterpie lay stunned across the path behind her. Aria laughed a curse at it. Tripping over pokemon like this occurred frequently and Aria had tripped over this particular caterpie several times before. He was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. He gathered his senses and rolled back to his feet. A leer tickled his skin. Caterpie glanced up and flinched when he recognized the human. He escaped by scooting off into the bushes. Aria sighed and bowed her head. When was he going to learn that she wasn't going to hurt him? And when was he going to learn to stay off of the path? Aria got to her feet and shook the debris from her clothes. She continued on, a little more cautious than before. The rest of the way was quiet. Aria relished in the presence of the trees, drifting off into her thoughts. This day was more special than the festival made it to be. She waited a whole year and it was finally here. The more she thought about its approach, the more she longed for it, and the more anxious she became. The suspense was unbearable. The pond came into view through the trees and shimmered between the trunks. Aria smiled. She could tell that her pokemon was waiting.

Nothing made Aria happier than being with her pokemon.

The walk quickened into a trot. Eager eyes locked onto the glittering pond. Aria did not make it far before her foot once again knocked into something. She tripped and fell just before breaking the tree line. Laying there for a moment helped ease the embarrassment. It was terribly frustrating. How much more bruising could her elbows and shins take? Aria turned around to see who or what had tripped her. If it was that caterpie again, she swore to strangle it with its own string shot. Aria caught only a glimpse of a pokemon before it disappeared into the bushes. Its speed was surprising. Curiosity replaced frustration. The underbrush rustled. Aria sat up and cocked her head. Something slid along the dirt. A pokemon emerged from the shadows of the forest. Aria froze.

This was no caterpie.

The silhouette of an arbok lifted out of its slumber. It's tail was the reason for her fall. An eerie hiss smoked out between two fangs. The cobra pokemon slithered into its standing posture. Its body was thick as the trees around it. A broad hood encompassed the world underneath. His scales were hardened from battles and thick with age. They shimmered like freshly cut amethyst. The scales caught the light of the canopy and splashed in iridescence. Streaks of lighter purples flickered across its body, indicating old wounds and the scars that preserved them. Aria's mouth dried out in understanding. Her body tensed. This was no freshly evolved pokemon. This was an arbok who lived and battled through hard times. He was one of the rare pokemon that sent hesitation and doubt into her actions. The wild arbok turned its head and looked for the one bold enough to tread across his scales. He found her. Aria scrambled back a few feet as he slithered out of the bushes after her. She stood but her legs stiffened as the cobra rose up to match her. He coiled his lower half and inspected the human. She wisely cast her eyes to the floor. Wild pokemon often saw eye contact as a challenge. For many, it was all they needed to immobilize their prey with a hypnotic stare. Aria felt him watching her. The pressure would have made her shake had she not been so familiar with the power and awe of wild pokemon. He must have been of a higher level to scare her so bad. The thought pulled Aria's attention to the cobra. The beauty and thrill of such a powerful and wild pokemon drew her in against her will. The first thing she saw was the scales that glistened like jewels. She followed them up to the hood pattern streaked in night black, orange, yellow, and red. It was an unfamiliar tapestry.

This arbok must have been born in a different area or possibly region. Was it migrating?

The pattern etched into the scaly jewels began to sway. It started to ripple and flow as he rocked back and forth. Aria could not turn away. Arbok narrowed his eyes and flicked out his tongue. Before she knew it, Aria was staring straight into the eyes of the wild pokemon. She was locked out of her own body. The longer she looked into those black eyes, the less aware she became. Her hands stopped shaking. Her thoughts grew foggy with respect and awe. She was caught in the arbok's stare. But it was not an ability or move that seized her. Pokemon were more than that. Each had a presence, a life, an aura, that gave them the characteristics attributed to their species. Few were better at charming than a snake. Arbok opened his jaws in another low strung hiss. He rose higher and uncoiled from his perch. Whether human or pokemon, an arbok never backed down from a challenge and this human had encroached upon his personal territory. There was a look in this human's eyes that bothered him. It scratched his scales in an unfamiliar way. It was hard to tell if he liked it or not.

Arbok leaned forward in a hiss that could have been a precursor to a bite. Aria could not break her gaze but her instinct, experience, and training broke through her awe. As the cobra drew closer, she stepped back at equal length to keep the distance. Her hand slowly moved to her right hip. She would stand a chance if she released one of her pokemon. But Arbok was watching. He knew about the danger lurking at her side. He would be quicker to release his poison than Aria her pokemon. Her back step drew Arbok into the small clearing around the pond. She swallowed hard even though her mouth was filled with cotton. She touched one of her pokeballs. Arbok tensed. She would not make it in time.

He pounced.

A stream of water with the force of a jet plane rocketed past Aria's head and shoulder. Her hair and clothes flew up in a panic because of it. The trance was broken. The _hydropump_ nicked Arbok's hood, causing him to flinch. It crashed into the trees beyond. Bark split. Wood cracked. If Arbok was not shielded by Aria, the attack would have blown him back into the woods. The jet weakened and vanished with a residual spray of water. Arbok recovered from his shock and shook the water from his head. A hiss like roar indicated his temperament. Another _hydropump_ roared into existence. Aria sharply gasped and ducked down. The attack sliced over her head in a sword of water. Arbok also ducked and used the human as a shield to slither forward. Smaller jets off water cut him off. They pegged the ground around him in sprays of grass and water. Advancing any farther would cause injury. Arbok retreated and the barrage stopped. He looked to the human then the pokemon beyond. He had lost this fight. Arbok fell back into the woods with a dissatisfied hiss. His dark purple body slipped into the shadows and disappeared from sight. The coast was clear. Aria relaxed. She was a little wet but otherwise alright. But those jets of water, the accuracy and precision of the strikes, Aria was all too familiar with them. They were the work of her precious pokemon. Aria whirled around. Her beloved pokemon had protected her once again.

"Styx!" she called out to him.

A sprits of water squirted into her face. Aria paused.

That was her pokemon alright.


	3. Boulder Arc: 2

Boulder Arc: 2

The joke was more amusing to the pokemon in the pond than Aria. She wiped the water from her face and tried to take her smile with it but it was too strong to remove. Styx was Aria's very first pokemon. It was hard to stay mad at him for long, especially when he just saved her from peril for the hundredth time. She looked over to the tentacruel floating on the pond's surface. He briefly ducked his shadowed eyes under the water in a silent mischievous giggle. Aria set the prank aside and walked over to the edge of the pond. Styx glanced up as his trainer approached the waters. He swiveled back and forth in excitement before floating into the shallows. His tentacles skimmed the muddy bottom. Styx was by no means small. His blue crested helmet had a 3-4 foot diameter. From the tip of his pincers to the top of his helmet, he was about five feet tall. Heavy training and good living (with just a touch of spoiled indulgence) created a pokemon beyond anything nature alone could ever produce. Styx had a set of pincers that rivaled the Jaws of Life. His helmet could have been dawned with honorary ribbons and a medal of honor for the feats he's accomplished. A volcanic red hue radiated from the orbs set into his helmet. It was deep with age and love that only decades spent together could create. This pokemon was experienced and a master at his craft. Aria stopped at the edge of the pond. She put her hands her hips in a way that demanded attention not obedience.

"You've saved me again, Styx," she said. "How many times is that now?"

The tentacruel sloshed the water with his helmet. He wiggled the tips of several tentacles above the surface. He was not gloating, merely expressing his enjoyment of their reunion. Battling was far less enjoyable than being with Aria. It had only been a few hours since Styx last saw her. It felt like days. Aria smiled while taking off her socks and shoes to retrieve him. He was too cute. Something moved behind them and motivated Aria to give the woods a weary glance. Arboks had a vengeful nature. It was hard to tell if the wild cobra was truly gone or not. It wouldn't be surprising if he showed up again at some point. Styx's carefree demeanor eased her fears. She would worry about it later. If there was any more danger, Styx was there to watch her back. He would make sure that none came to her.

"Are you ready to go to the festival?" Aria asked.

Styx lowered his flexible limbs back under the water. He replied with a deep rumble made from ultrasonic frequencies. It made the surface ripple and vibrate as if a stereo blasted music from underneath. The red orbs glowed faintly to compliment the tentacruel's version of a purr. The festival was exciting but it was not the motivation behind the affection. What made him enthusiastic was watching Aria step into the shallows towards him. She chuckled and unfastened the empty great ball on her belt.

"I'll take that as a yes," she said.

Aria waded up to the bottom of her knee. The mud pushing up through her toes was slimy but not deep. Just a few more steps and she would have nothing but water underneath. Over the years Styx had dug into the bank so that he could get closer to Aria when she was on the shore. It made for a steep descent. The tentacruel floated closer now that Aria was in the water. He raised his eyes to meet her gaze. The great ball enlarged.

"Ready? If we go now then we - whoah, hey wait!"

Styx reached out with several tentacles and cut her sentence in half. He wrapped them around sturdy legs and swam backwards, pulling Aria deeper into the pond. Before she could stop, the water was up to her torso. Styx's blue helmet was the only means of floatation. Aria clung onto it and struggled not to drop the great ball. The ground dropped away from her feet and she curled them up into the cloud of tentacles. Aria's protests landed her in the middle of the pond. She was at the mercy of her pokemon. Styx released his hold and Aria pulled herself three fourths of the way out of the water. It didn't really matter considering everything but her hair and face were drenched.

"What are you doing, Styx?" Aria asked. "Everybody else is ready. Don't you want to go to the festival?"

Styx submerged half his helmet and spun around. Aria held on tight as her legs dragged in the water. He slowed to a stop. She had to laugh. Styx always had one thing on his agenda that took precedence. Aria looked down into the orbs as if looking into his shadowed eyes.

"Do you want to play?"

Styx raised a tentacle or two out of the water. They poked Aria's side and hooked onto her pants. He attempted to pull them off. Aria quickly grabbed them when the cool breeze touched her undergarments.

"Hey, hey, stop that!"

Aria shooed away the tentacles. Styx reluctantly let go but brushed his smooth limbs against her legs as if encouraging her to stay. Nothing, not even the festival, would make him happier than to swim with his trainer. Aria debated the act. The weather was nice. The water was cool but not cold. She did have an hour or two to spare before the judicial office closed. They had yet to swim together today and Styx did protect her without any orders. Aria sighed. It was only heavy in the fact that it was fake.

"Alright, alright, I get it. I'll swim with you," she said. "But just let me take off my own pants."

Styx bobbed in silent victory. He floated over to the shallows to drop off his trainer. Aria slid off and waded to shore muttering over her wet clothes. She stripped to the bare minimum and tossed the rest higher up on the grass out of the splash zone. She set her pokebelt carefully to the side. Meanwhile, Styx busily swam back and forth. It was a pace just as much as it was a technique used to clear the pond of any debris that could get in his trainer's way. Aria glanced around to make sure no one was watching, even if the pond was hidden deep with the confines of her property. She was not afraid of being seen as much as having her pokebelt stolen.

Her pokemon were her life.

Aria walked back to the pond and into the shallows. A bra and underwear were perfect replacements for a swimsuit. Styx floated over again now that she was ready. Diving in lessened the chill. Aria resurfaced close to Styx and grabbed the ridge of his helmet. Styx touched her arms, legs, and torso in a way that paralleled a human hug. It was also a tool for conducting a status check on his trainer. He had to make sure that she was in perfect health. Styx could tell everything about Aria from the inspection. He could feel if she was stressed with tight muscles, recovering from a sprain or broken limb, tired, or energetic. They swam together almost every day which meant an inspection every day. The strength of their bond was unimaginable. When Styx was finished, Aria let go and swam out deeper into the pond. He followed her before dipping below the surface. He swam out in front of her from below. It was not deep enough to hide the glow of his orbs as they caught the light. Aria took a deep breath and dove in after him. She lightly tapped him on the helmet, resurfaced, and dove again.

A dive between Styx's pincers and through his tentacles produced a stream of bubbles. Even tentacruels could get ticklish. Aria pushed off of the blue helmet platform to the surface. Styx was well aware of Aria's time constraint. He knew how long she could stay under the water down to the millisecond. Aria slipped under the surface again like a falling feather. Poisonous tendrils wrapped around her but they were soft and pulled her down easier than how she slipped in. Aria was not sinking in water but gently meandering through space. The tendrils pushed her back up to surface. She tread water and took a moment to catch her breath. A few seconds later, a tentacle tapped and rubbed the soles of her feet. It was done in a rehearsed manner. Aria smiled. She put her arms in an arrow pointed to the sky and crossed her heels. Continuing with procedure, Styx gently wrapped the tentacle around her ankles. He pulled her down deep into the water to his level. Tentacles wrapped Aria in a blanket, spun her around, and released. Such tricks and games were common. Over the years, Styx learned what he could and could not do with Aria in the water.

For instance: floating on top of her = bad, forcing her down = bad, keeping her down too long = bad, pulling too deep = bad.

Through trial and error (and several scares) the two found a system that worked. It was a form of body language that communicated intent and response. If Aria was under too long, or there was something wrong, she would wriggle a certain way to indicate she needed help or to surface. Nothing was ever done without consent (mostly on Styx's part). Through their play, they rehearsed several acrobatic tricks like pulling, diving, wrapping, and throwing. It was hard at first. Now, commands were hardly ever used. Aria threw back her hair after another surfacing. Styx surfaced close and she grabbed on for a ride. A tentacle was placed on each arm to keep her in place. They spun under the sparkling chandeliers of an imaginary ballroom dance before sinking. Aria held her breath and they went under. The magic of the moment was strong and she did not want to leave it. Together they swam, dove, and played. It was routine interaction but none of it felt mundane. The water was never dead when Styx was in it. The only thing hindering their interaction was the fact that Aria needed to breathe air. She was once in possession of a rebreather: a device held in the mouth with two small air canisters to the side. It was a miniature air tank. With it, play was unlimited. Aria could breathe underwater for an extended amount of time. When it ran out, she didn't have the funds to buy another. It was not a common piece of equipment. Styx was the happiest pokemon in the world when she had it and Aria regretted not being able to own another. His favorite activity was holding her in his tentacles while lazily floating around. Under the water was even better. With the rebreather, it was possible.

Fatigue eventually put Aria on her back, looking into the sky and listening to the quiet hum of the water in her ears. Her smile was as soft as the clouds above. Today was turning out to be special in more ways than she thought. She watched Styx quietly disappear under the surface through the corner of her eye. He passed along the length of her body below. Aria timed her roll and curled in to catch his helmet. He stopped and steadily rose to the surface with Aria above him. She balanced her weight as his helmet broke the surface. She maneuvered around and sat on his helmet better than a top hat. They whizzed around the pond like a mini motor boat. Styx eventually slowed down to a leisurely ride and Aria slipped partially back into the water. Hanging onto her favorite buoy was the perfect way to recharge. She laid over his helmet, lightly hugging the pillow like crest. Her cheek pressed against an orb while her legs floated effortlessly behind. Aria dipped each finger in the water trolling by as if playing music. The surface rippled in clean rolling circles before mixing with Styx's wake. Her eyes grew soft like one ready to nap. She would have if it was any other day of the year. But the festival was in full swing and the judicial office would not stay open forever. She would have to get out but not without letting Styx know that his attention was appreciated. Aria patted the red orb underneath her cheek.

"I love you, Styx. I hope you know that," she said.

Aria looked down into the depths of his jeweled helmet. There was a glow deep within the orbs that never went out. It was warm and strong as if looking into a chamber of magma deep within the earth. It was distant yet right underneath your feet. The water around the two pulsated and rippled in another supersonic purr. Aria felt it in her legs. She smiled and squeezed Styx's helmet tighter. He did not have to say it in her language for her to understand.

"Alright, buddy, back to shore. We don't want to miss the festival do we?"

Styx silently agreed. He swam back to the shallows and dropped Aria off. She waded out and made a mental note to build a small shed to keep a towel and extra set of clothes in. Drying off naturally would take a lot longer but there was no use getting upset because her clothes were still a little damp. She would have to wait anyway. A sunny patch of grass spotlighted Aria and her clothes. Now there really was nothing to do but daydream in the sun. She normally let out the rest of her pokemon at times like this to enjoy the weather but they were already in their pokeballs calming down from the thrill of getting to go to the festival. Besides, it was nice spending some alone time with Styx. Aria made it a point to give each of her pokemon special one on one attention now and again. Styx continued to splash around in the pond. It was reminiscent of days gone by when he was still a tentacool, splashing around recklessly in some sort of imaginary game. Aria's gaze fell from the clouds to the pond. Styx had somehow gotten a hold of one of her shoes. He held it up above the water and swam back and forth as if it would help it dry. Aria giggled.

Styx would never seize to amaze her.

Aria sighed and pulled her legs up to hold her knees. Her fingers grazed several tender spots on her shins. When she was young, the residual poison on Styx's tentacles would have made her sick. Now, it only left a cool tingle after prolonged exposure. Drying in the sun almost made it disappear completely. Aria took another deep breath. She was ready to continue to the festival. It didn't take long to throw on her shorts and shirt. Styx floated over to their usual pick up/drop off spot clear of reeds and pesky stones. Aria walked over and unhooked Styx's great ball from her belt. They exchanged the shoe for an escort into the festival. Styx was withdrawn and the pokeball clicked shut. Aria tossed it lightly before minimizing it. Now that everyone was in place and both shoes were on, Aria went back up the trail. She glanced to her watch and realized that it was already late afternoon. Swimming and drying had taken up all of the time she allotted for watching the end of the battling tournament. The walk into town was long and it would eat up even more time. Aria's legs were her only means of transportation. Her parents had taken the family car when they left for business and the company truck was for emergencies and work. The land was too treacherous for a bike and Aria did not own any pokemon she could ride. Her walk turned into a jog. Transferring onto the road did not hinder her pace. In fact, it sped up because of the descent down the mountain. The gravely dirt path was slippery but Aria did not let that stop her. With each step, she grew closer to her goal.

With each step, she grew more and more anxious.

By the time Aria made it onto the main road, she was winded. She could see the festival going on in the center of town. Decorations and colorful lights rose above the trees and small buildings. She could see the arena and bazaar lining the streets. Dozens of people meandered around. Aria grinned. She had finally arrived in her little home town of Boulder.


	4. Boulder Arc: 3a

Boulder Ark: 3

Normally, the small mountain town of Boulder went forgotten by travelers as they sped along the highway. It had little to offer except for trees and general store bubblegum. But during the Pokemon Festival, especially Arena Day, Boulder was the proud father of hopeful entrepreneurs and the mother of fanciful sugar coated dreams. Decorations strewn across rooftops hung low across the streets, carrying lights and banners from one stall to the next. Stalls fit for a circus parade lined the street complete with ringmasters and vendors turned clowns. Local store owners propped open their doors and brought items out for display with the hopes of catching the eye of visitors over the flashy showman next door. Competition was fierce but merriment refused to let it dictate the mood of the festival. Boulder's population quadrupled with visitors wearing the same expression of awe as the local children tottering around with their parents. The Boulder Pokemon Festival brought you to another world. It took you out of reality and into a fantasy where pokemon and people were one in the same. Balloons, food, pokemon shaped candy and toys, pokeballs of all kinds, potions, berries, TMs, and games, Aria's skin tingled at the sight of it all.

Music and laughter resonated through the streets. Trainers from all over the region scattered pokemon throughout the crowd. Whether arena participants, losers, winners, or those on a journey, they all flocked to the festival. They put their parties out for display, challenged formidable looking opponents, traded, participated in competitive games to show off their skills, and exchanged numbers of new found friends. Boulder had no restrictions on the release of pokemon in public streets.

The fun was never ending.

Actors and performers dazzled guests and pulled cheers from the crowds that gathered around their shows. Mascots dressed as various pokemon patrolled the grounds, passing out balloons and causing general mischief. They posed for pictures for the young and old alike and snuck into others to spur a giggle or smirk. The festival's cheer and charm were addictive. Other festivals had similar traits. Some were bigger with more vendors and stage shows that made the small town of Boulder a speck on the map. But they lacked soul. The Boulder Festival's passion for pokemon made it the most memorable and renewed pokemon celebration in the region. Aria longed to roam the streets under the multicolored lights with her pokemon at her side but she still had to get to the judicial office before they closed. Navigating the crowded streets, however, made it impossible not to glance at vendors and their seasonal goods on display. Aria recognized logos and their representatives from past years and made a note to check out the newcomers on the way back. Almost all of the locals had some type of stall selling trademark goods or crafts "made in Boulder". Aria smiled and waved when she caught eyes with someone she knew. Some returned the gesture but there was an equal if not greater amount that did the opposite.

For most of the year, the locals forgot about the events surrounding Arena Day at last year's festival. Now that the celebration was in full swing, old memories bubbled up to the surface. Aria was not oblivious. She saw how the locals suddenly found something to occupy themselves with when she passed, how they averted their eyes when they saw her. Some ignored her presence completely as if they did not notice her standing in the crowd. For those unable to elude her gaze, they waved but only briefly and occupied their time with other customers. They smiled in a burst of recognition before turning away to avoid conversation. Their fragile smiles broke when directed at her presence for too long. Whether the locals acknowledged her presence or not, they all found their gaze sucked to the pokebelt around her waist. Each glance of contempt, fear, and discredit pinched the valves of Aria's heart. There were no free samples, gifts, or praises from friends and neighbors this year. Pretending not to notice the fear in their eyes was a task for the strong willed. Aria did not let it get to her. The festival was about the love of pokemon and their importance in the world. Last year's tragedy would not hold her back. This was Aria's favorite time of the year. She would not spoil it with anxiety spawned from shadows of the past. A deep breath kept her spirits high. The out of town vendors were far more amusing to focus on anyway. The travelling merchants were one of the festival's main attractions. They brought in big city goods to rural areas and introduced new products onto the market for the first time. Luxury and ultra balls set out on display teased aspiring trainers. TMs laid out like jewelry across tabletops. The temptation to linger was strong. A group of children passed by, forcing Aria off to the side. It placed her next to a stall strung with white lights and purple showroom curtains.

"Come in, come closer!" someone shouted from inside the tent. "Don't be shy. Typhlosion's Treats is guaranteed to make your day fantastically festive!"

A man dressed head to toe in white popped out of the stall. A purple feather leaned over the back of his hat and an eye mask added mystery to his charm. His hair was even purple to match the décor. A musketeer paled in comparison to his finesse. He stopped a potential customer with a single point of his finger.

"You there, I can see your eyes longing for such a day," he said. "And how could you not? This is a festival after all!"

Everything about him was theatrical, how he spoke and moved. The musketeer threw out his arm to reveal the bags of chocolates, sweets, and candies lined up along the table like works of art. Several people feel victim to his performance and drew closer.

"Have you tried the sweet as pie chews? They're guaranteed to melt your heart and soul. Sour more your flavor? Try our Pikachu Pops! If your lips don't pucker with the first lick, I'll juggle my hat around the moon!"

Several people went in to browse and buy. Aria was used to these types of tricks but she had to admit, the goods were tempting.

"Adult or child, these treats are for everyone! Come on in! Don't be shy!"

The white musketeer looked out to the street. He noticed Aria standing by his tent amused but unfazed by his tactics. The blue eyes behind the mask narrowed in mischief. He gracefully stepped up next to her. Aria blushed. She did not expect him to be so tall . . . and fit.

"Typhlosion Treats are perfect for any occasion," he said before glancing down to her hips. "My, my, what do we have here, a trainer?"

The musketeer examined her belt. He caught a glimpse of the black pokeball. If Aria was embarrassed before, she was ashamed now. She turned her hips away to hide the belt and took a step back. A nervous laugh tried to hide her awkwardness. The musketeer's blue eyes flashed at her reaction. He swept his cape over to the stall.

"How about a look, my lovely lady? These are the best treats in town," he said.

"No thank you, maybe next time" she replied.

Aria apologetically turned her head before stepping back into the flow of the bizarre. She did not want to draw anymore attention to her pokemon or her pokebelt. The musketeer's gaze lingered until a tourist asked for a photo and his grandiose persona returned. Aria sighed in relief. It would be wise not to browse until after she met with the judicial office. She needed to stay focused. Aria picked up the pace and entered the town square. White brick lined the surrounding buildings and created the base for the large fountain at its center. The fountain was for decoration as much as a place for water pokemon to play. The town arena (as small as it was) sat at the opposite end of the square. Arches and pillars along the entrance made it feel more official than some of the larger more modern stadiums. Announcements and notes scrolled across a flat screen panel above the doors. The tournament champion, finalists, and their winning pokemon were currently on display. The judicial building was just around the corner, out of sight. The square was filled with more trainers and their pokemon. Several splashed in the fountain. Aria was a little envious. Styx would fit in perfectly. Something beyond the jets and spray of water caught her attention. Aria took a step to the side for a better look. It was a pokemon battle and it wasn't going well. The heavy smog like presence of the crowd overpowered the intensity of the match. It pulled down smiles and elbowed goodwill out of the way. Aria moved around a group of people watching the match. A dark chuckle rippled into the audience. It came from a group of people lined up alongside the square in front of the arena. They were older men that reeked of wealth, haughtiness, and foul play. The group snickered amongst themselves as a zigzagoon fell harshly to the ground in front of them.

"Charles!" its trainer yelled.

The zigzagoon struggled to rise from the ground. It was young and inexperienced, much like its trainer. A young boy around twelve quickly ran over to his wounded pokemon. Charles shook before his legs gave out. It was a feint. The battle was over. The boy fell to his knees and scooped the pokemon in his lap. On the other side of the invisible battlefield, a marowak rested its club over its shoulder. To the victor go the spoils. The battle had started and ended in less than five minutes. It could have been less but amusement kept it prolonged. The marowak's skull was smooth and polished. It tilted down to the zigzagoon and its boy with disgust: so weak. Marowak's body began to glow before he transformed into energy and was removed from the field. The luxury ball clicked shut.

"Too bad youngster, if I would have known it was going to be this boring, I would have never agreed to the fight," the ace trainer said.

"Charles? Charles, are you ok?" the boy frantically asked his pokemon.

The youngster tried to stroke the frazzled fur back into place. He raised his eyes in a glare to the man he had challenged and lost to. The ace was of medium height with garnet colored hair. He stood with the posture of a spoiled and gifted life. His eyes were cold as they bore down on the boy with a hint of distaste. He only accepted the match because the boy needed to be put in his place after challenging him in front of his father's inner circle like some sort of protagonist. John, the young boy, turned his gaze to the ground with tears brimming in his eyes. Failure was guaranteed from the beginning. He was not strong enough to beat such an older opponent. He knew that. He just thought that it would be different. He thought that Azura, the rising champion blazing through the circuit, would be different. When John learned Azura was coming to Boulder to compete in the festival tournament, he almost jumped out of his shoes. Azura's reputation was one of the most renowned in the region. His father was the owner of Golden Crest Industries and his uncle was the CEO of the Greyblades, (two of the most powerful and wealthy organizations on the continent). He had three gym badges to his name, not including the two he earned from a neighboring region. He was the ideal trainer, featured in pokemon magazines and TV shows. There was no idol as glorious as he. John watched all of his matches dreaming that one day he could be like Azura. Now, he was not so sure. John hugged Charles tighter. He was so ashamed his cheeks glowed red. He had never made a mistake as painful as this before in his life. Azura strolled across the bricks to the youngster.

"You said you wanted to be in the big leagues," he commented. "Don't cry. That's what it's like to be weak. You wanted a proper match and I gave it to you. We'll follow it to the end. You know that custom dictates: the loser pays the winner."

The older men watching from the side muttered to themselves. Now that the brief interjection of amusement was over, they were ready to move on to more important things. The youngster and his pokemon were of no more consequence. John sniffled back his disappointment and regret. Becoming an ace trainer was his dream. It's what he wanted more than anything else. Following its code of conduct was mandatory. John reached into his pocket for the mere 10 coin he had there. It was a week's worth of allowance. For those who witnessed the short and cruel battle, it was too much to watch. They turned and walked away as if nothing had ever happened. The request was merciless but not unwarranted. John had challenged Azura to a real fight knowing the consequences. There was one spectator who did not turn a blind eye. Her voice cut across the square before John could pull out the money.

"John? Johnny? Is that you?" she called.

The youngster paused in the sweet wafting off the woman's voice. Recognition pulled his chin up to the crowd. Azura also glanced up and was surprised at what he saw. He expected a mother and found a woman about his age, pretty enough to warrant a double take, and well rounded in her assets. Watching her jog in their direction was not unpleasant. Aria smiled and waved at John as she approached. Azura did not receive a single drop of recognition. He might as well have been invisible. The insult stung worse when it came from a civilian and not other celebrity ace trainers or big headed money men. Aria knelt down at John's side. The hand she placed on his back straightened the boy out of his hunch.

"Wow, was that your first real battle with a stranger?" Aria asked. "That's amazing. You did so well. I was so excited for you. Did you hear me cheering?"

Technically, she missed the fight and arrived only seconds ago but watching John's dreams crumble to dust in his lap was not an option. Her smile had just the right amount of softness to address a wounded child. Her voice had just enough excitement to keep him from feeling babied. Azura did not understand what she was doing. The boy obviously failed. It was a complete shaming. John looked up to Aria with tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

"I lost," he whispered.

"That's okay, it happens all the time even to aces. Just think about how many trainers lost in the tournament today."

Aria petted Charles' head. He stirred in John's lap. The youngster looked down to him then Aria again. The longer he looked, the less his loss seemed to matter. A small smile crept back onto his lips. His eyes glittered at the idol familiarity often hid from him.

"Did you really cheer for me?" he asked.

"You bet," Aria said with a wink

It washed away all of John's embarrassment. She then looked to his hand and motioned to it. John pulled it out with the coin in his palm.

"What cha' doin' with that?" she asked.

"I'm supposed to pay if I lose right?" he replied.

"Sometimes, if trainers want to bet money over the battle."

Aria removed her hand from Charles as he opened his eyes. John was too happy to see his pokemon awake to notice the shadow that fell over Aria's eyes. He could not distinguish the threatening disapproval that hardened her features from the sweet tone she carried when she first arrived. Aria stood up slowly and Azura felt gravity fall on him twofold. The tension from the battle lingering in the air twisted and stiffened. John was oblivious. He hugged his pokemon tight, blind to the set of soft lips curling back to show fangs underneath. Aria turned her shoulder to Azura with a gaze that would have pulled a wild pokemon into a fight.

"I'm sure your friend here was only joking about the money," she continued. "Because if he wasn't, some people would consider that bullying."

A breeze suddenly cut across the square. It streaked between the two trainers. Aria looked Azura straight in the eye and refused to let go. Chains of tension pulled taunt between them. One of the businessmen along the sideline caught the warning underlying Aria's words. He turned and shushed the others to investigate. At first, Azura was too shocked to say anything. His eyes fell down to the belt around Aria's waist. There were pokemon on it. Her aggression chilled the back of his neck. Azura crossed his arms over his chest.

"You're right," he said. "I was only joking about the money. That fight was not worth a single coin."

Aria's hair stood on end. Hauteur wrapped Azura like an over embellished gown. John put his heart and soul into that battle. The least Azura could do was recognize that. John was young and therefore inexperienced but the passion he had for pokemon deserved respect. Aria hated trainers like this ace standing in front of her. They treated those weaker than them like garbage. They had no respect for pokemon, people, or the sport. John kept Charles in his arms and sniffled back the last of his embarrassment. Aria's presence pulled him to his feet and kept him quiet.

"Battling isn't always about money or power," Aria stated. "It's about bonding with your pokemon."

Azura snorted. So she was one of _those_ trainers. The bystanders reinvested in the scene now that conflict jabbed its way into existence. A few of the locals recognized Aria. Almost everyone recognized Azura. The tension between the two ideals refused to let them look away. The crowd agreed with Aria yet reality told them Azura acted completely within reason. It was hard not to feel their stares. Azura was especially aware of the wealthy men in suits who stopped what they were doing to watch. It was common for ideals between trainers to clash but for something to actually happen was a little more unusual. Azura's response to the situation mattered more than Aria's. He was related to very influential people and had some very powerful figures behind him. Being a celebrity had its drawbacks. He had an image and a reputation to uphold. One mess up could ruin his entire career, and if it was serious enough, his life. The suits watching from the side were his ultimate judge. Was Azura worthy, smart, and tactful enough to handle the situation and become worthy of their . . . endorsement? Aria did not like drawing attention, especially not about the controversial methods of pokemon training. But she had to defend John and all of the other trainers out there like him. Most ace trainers forgot that they were once that helpless. Aria's morality was on the line. She would stand up for what she believed in. The pressure cooled Azura's temper. The woman before him was just some rural hillbilly. There was no point in losing everything he worked for in an argument with a lesser trainer. Azura put his hands in his pockets. He heard all of the high and mighty nonsense before.

"Of course, of course," he said. "Don't mind me. I have no idea what battling with a pokemon is like."

There were a few snickers from the gathering crowd. It established Azura's authority. Aria glanced to them, not sure what it meant.

"Make sure you hold your pokemon's hand next time you battle," he continued. "He might get scared."

Azura began walking away. Aria took a step after him. She wanted to shout something profane but resisted. One of the business men saw her failure, laughed, and made a comment to another. The second lifted up the tip of his hat to reveal a set of diamond eyes. There was a snap to his presence that outclassed his older counterparts. He watched the scene play out in silence.

"It's ok, Aria," John said from behind her leg. "Me and Charles are ok. Azura's just a meanie."

Charles groaned softly and John readjusted him. A small smirk found its way into the corner of Aria's lips. John was right. The red haired ace was mean, snooty, rude, and a jerk. Those types of people never listened. There was only one thing that could pierce their pompous shells.

Force.

"So you don't believe me," Aria called out.

She addressed the crowd as much as Azura. He did not bother to look back.

"All of your talk is nice, but that's all it is," he said.

Aria grabbed the insult with both hands.

"Then how about I show you," Aria said as a hand drifted over to her pokebelt. "I challenge you to a pokemon battle right here, right now."

The snappy businessman smiled. Several of his coworkers scoffed. A handful of trainers who had competed against Azura in the tournament stood up. Someone hollered in excitement. Azura froze mid step.

A challenge could not be ignored.


	5. Boulder Arc: 3b

Boulder Arc: 3b

The phrase 'pokemon battle' rang out through the crowd like a bell calling dogs in for dinner. People once again gathered in the square. When they realized the challenge involved the celebrity Azura, they could not contain their excitement. This would be a battle worth watching. Azura slowly turned to face his brazen challenger.

"A pokemon battle?" he quoted.

Challenges frequently appeared by enthusiastic trainers young and old alike. They were either trying to prove something to themselves or teach a spoiled ace a lesson. Mountain hicks were no exception. Aria held her resolve firm against the murmur of the thickening crowd. She did not battle with trainers often but battles were about pokemon and pokemon were her passion. Locals in the crowd started spreading rumors of her capabilities as a trainer. Gossip swirled around both sides. Azura debated going through with the challenge. It was too bold to be ignored: if he refused, he would be the epitome of an arrogant celebrity hypocrite. Cowardice would taint his reputation as a trainer. He would lose his backbone as an Ace. There was more at stake here than just pride. Azura looked down to Aria's pokebelt and saw four pokeballs: two regular classic balls, a great ball, and another he did not recognize. With only four, she was either inexperienced at catching pokemon or new to the game. The balls themselves illustrated her financial woes. It was hard to tell if it was because she fought too little or lost too much. Azura smirked. Knocking this newbie off her high horse might be fun. And if she was as weak as some of the other preachers he faced, her loss would be a service to humanity. Azura crossed his arms over his chest.

"Alright," he said. "I'll do it. Name your terms."

"One on one," Aria said. "One pokemon. No items, no replacements. We each choose our pokemon beforehand, no announcements of type. We leave it to luck."

Several of the businessmen exchanged glances. A few chuckled off a bet or two with wicked eyes. Azura accepted the terms with a nod. She knew more about the game than he realized. Maybe he underestimated her too quickly. Aria motioned out to the fountain.

"The battle field is town square, staying on or close to the bricks."

"Trying to keep minimal damage?" Azura said.

"No point in making a mess. This is a test of wills, isn't it?"

Memories of last year's festival tightened Aria's throat. Azura unfolded his arms. From the looks of it, she was a clean trainer. This would be easy.

"I accept your challenge," he said.

The crowd cleared one side of the square to make space for the battlefield. Someone started throwing bets. It quickly caught on. Aria set aside the excitement for a small moment. She turned her profile to John.

"You better clear out of here Johnny, don't want to find yourself at the end of an iron tail do you?" she said.

John smiled and nodded. Charles' lower half swung back and forth as he jogged toward the inner ring of the crowd. Pressure slowed his steps. It weighed them down until he finally stopped halfway along. John turned to look back. There was hesitation, as if walking alone at night and feeling something watching you. But the only thing scary about it was the power behind it. Aria's back filled his gaze. It was hard not to stare. Had she always been this tall? Aria unhooked one of the pokeballs on her right hip. John hugged Charles tighter and held his breathe. Because of the hype over the festival and the arrival of so many talented trainers, John had forgotten about the trainer who quietly patrolled the mountains, who stalked the woods in a blazing trail of fire and steel. Aria was his idol trainer since the beginning. She was the one who helped him catch his first pokemon and show him just how amazing a trainer could be. How could he have been so silly to put his hope into a stranger like Azura? It was Aria who inspired him to be a trainer. She was the best in Boulder. John hurried into the edge of the crowd to watch. It was time to leave the fighting to the professionals. Aria felt the weight of the pokeball in her hand. It had been a while since she had a legitimate pokemon battle. Her nerves were high but her determination was in the clouds. A few older and more brazen trainers hung around the fountain for first row seats. They all looked to the weapon, tool, and toy that connected nations together. Who would Aria throw out? Was it strong, weak? What was its type? Did she stand a chance against the renowned Azura? The questions rolled through everyone's thoughts. The thrill of watching a live battle coursed through their veins. The trainers had to stay focused. Winning was up to them as much as their pokemon. Aria held up her pokeball for Azura to see. He did the same.

"The winner will be decided with a feint," she said. "And aiming for the trainers is off limits.

"Naturally," Azura commented.

He enlarged his pokeball. Azura reached inside his silk lined pocket. A smirk embroidered his lips. He pulled out a large amount of printed coin rolled up for easy transport.

"Let's make it a little more interesting," he added. "This is a real battle after all. How about a wager?"

Aria pinched her eyes. The ace was up to something. He held up the prize.

"20,000 coin for you if you win. But if you lose-"

Azura touched his cheek with a sly grin.

"You have to kiss me."

Someone in the crowd whistled. It was a tribute to Aria's attractiveness. The pokeball creaked under her grip. Its warmth went unnoticed by the heat of her palm. She did not enjoy being stereotyped by sex or socioeconomic status. 20,000 Coin was chump change to Azura. For Aria, it was two day's pay. Her temper flickered. Underhanded insults burned hotter than blatant ones and asking for a kiss was despicable for a stranger. Aria debated the wager. She did not have the money to match it so a kiss was not a terrible request. Azura was not ugly and he would not want to be kissed by a toothless broad so there were compliments on both sides. 20K Coin would be a nice sum to play around with. Aria smiled. It didn't matter much anyway. She did not plan on losing.

"Deal," she said.

"Let's get this show on the road then," Azura announced.

He put the money back in his pocket and took up the role of entertainer. His pokeball opened in a release. Energy streamed out and formed into the shape of a pokemon. It flashed and the pokemon was revealed. It was a zangoose. The pokemon threw down two sets of claws. The black knives wiggled in preparation.

"Come on out, Rolo," Aria said. "We'll show them what a real battle is!"

Aria tossed out her pokeball. It enlarged and opened in midair. A stream of red light shot out like lightning. The pokemon materialized on the ground with a flash. The crowd went up in cheers now that both pokemon were revealed. Azura chuckled in surprise.

"Are you serious? The puppy pokemon?" he joked.

A growlithe stood in front of Aria as her chosen pokemon. Rolo, the growlithe, barked and bent down with his rump tilted high. His tail flapped like a bobble head and a pink tongue preceded another bark. The puppy pokemon had the intensity of a plush toy. Someone in the crowd awed at his adorable physique. Aria's smirk would have put Azura's to shame had he caught it. The only one who understood was Johnny. His eyes lit up with firelight.

"Rolo!" he yelled. "You can do it! This guy's no match for you!"

Aria readied herself for the fight. Luck had sidestepped both trainers for this match. It was a fire type against a normal type. The winner would be born from strength and skill. The businessmen to the side lined up for a better view. The sharply dressed gentleman stepped out in front. He touched the tip of his hat and shadowed his eyes. This was going to be interesting.

With Rolo's appearance, Zangoose raised his red tipped paws. He narrowed his gaze onto the fire canine. Several jeers came from the crowd against the puppy. Zangoose ignored them and looked into the growlithe's black eyes. There was something powerful swirling inside. He knew better than to underestimate an opponent, especially this one. There was a world beyond what the trainers saw. It was one that only pokemon could understand. This battle, like any other, was to be treated seriously. Zangoose held himself with honor. Rolo felt his pride. He stopped panting and adjusted his paws. Mirroring that same acceptance and respect was his duty. The crowd braced themselves for a show. Would it be quick? Would it be good? Vendors pulled away from their stalls. Even a white musketeer turned a watchful eye toward the scene. The gentleman in the hat stepped a few paces into the role of referee. He raised his hand.

"Trainers, battle!" he shouted.

The man threw down his arm and the match began. Aria wasted no time.

"Rolo, recon!" she shouted.

The growlithe barked enthusiastically. The order perplexed Azura. It was not the name of an attack. He had to discard the thought with the battle at hand.

"Go, Zangoose, _slash_," he ordered.

Zangoose's advance stopped with the first step. The match was official. The battle was real. Rolo's presence on the field tripled. He stood with steady legs and a straight back. An inferno blazed in his eyes. He seemed to grow twice in size. This was not a puppy. This was a fully trained pokemon with years of battling experience. Zangoose's muscles tensed. The feeling was rare. This was the work of an ability. It was _intimidate_. But Zangoose refused to run from it. He couldn't. He would never run from a battle. The muscles loosened and sprang into action. Zangoose rushed Rolo. The growlithe stepped back into a defensive position. He dodged at the very last moment when the ferret's eyes glistened. Two black claws _slashed_ the empty stone in a spray of dust. Zangoose followed the canine with his gaze. He was surprised that there was no charge from the start. Was Rolo the defensive type? It was odd for the species. Zangoose whirled around in another _slash_. His claws passed over Rolo's head. The growlithe rammed into his opponent. Zangoose stumbled back.

"Again," Azura commanded.

Zangoose swiped but the growlithe was slippery. Rolo jumped over and under his strikes, back and forth, again and again. He retreated and stood still. He dashed around in small bursts of flame that kept Zangoose at a distance. Rolo darted in and out in nips and tugs. Azura shouted more commands but nothing but stone crumbled underneath his pokemon's paws. The ferret was royally pissed in a matter of seconds. Azura shared his frustration. Aria hardly said anything. She did not utter a single command aside from that unusual first shout. None of Rolo's attacks were recognizable and none of them had any real merit behind them. It felt like they were both being toyed with. On the opposite side of the field, Aria was anything but still. Her body was poised at the ready. She watched the two exchange blows and dance across the brick. Her eyes were sharp and quick like her growlithe's feet. Her breath rose and fell with each evasion, in tune with her pokemon's. Both Aria and Rolo stiffened when Zangoose found an opening. He _slashed_ Rolo in a diagonal uppercut. The growlithe flipped in the air and landed on his feet. The crowd cheered. It was a good clean hit. Aria shifted onto her toes. She took a few steps forward. Zangoose put on a smile and readied his arms again. He was met with a smirk. Aria leapt in before Azura could relish in the hit.

"Ready?" Aria yelled.

Rolo bent down into pouncing posture and growled.

"F_lamethrower_!"

Rolo opened his mouth before the words drifted off of her lips. He was already in motion as if reading her thoughts. A stream of fire roared out for Zangoose. The torrent of flame was larger and hotter than expected. Growlithes were not supposed to be capable of such power. There was no time to dodge. Zangoose defensively raised his arms. The _flamethrower_ engulfed him. A ripple of heat scared the crowd. Several people gasped. A few small children pulled away. The flames billowed before dissipating into slivers of smoke. Zangoose fell to one knee and put a paw to the ground. His fur was blackened. One eye closed in a wince. Aria squeezed her hand into a fist. It was a critical hit. But the cat ferret was not done. Deception by appearance was one of the tricks pokemon and their trainers utilized. He was right not to underestimate the growlithe. Two sharp green eyes flashed open. Azura knew better than to delay. The quicker the pokemon's recovery from a hit, the more advantage he had in battle.

"Quick Zangoose, _crush claw_," Azura shouted.

The ferret used his bent knee to spring forward. He threw himself into a lunge. Rolo rolled to the side. Zangoose struck the ground and grazed the hair of his tail. As the stone crumbled into dust, the two caught one another's gaze. Each brimmed with passionate determination. Rolo dashed past Zangoose. Another wave of dust flew into the air. The pace of the battle quickened and intensified. No more games. It was war. Rolo zipped across the bricks. Zangoose followed him to the center. Rolo swung his charge around and ran straight for the ferret. He slowed and tossed out another _flamethrower_. It was less intense than the original and more characteristic of his species. Zangoose jumped up and over the stream of fire. He flipped over the growlithe. Rolo raised the stream to try and follow but it was too slow. Zangoose lashed out in a _crush claw_ that preceded his master's command. Rolo dropped his flames and continued the empty charge. The attack nicked his back legs. He stumbled. Azura ordered another _slash_. The brick cracked and broke in another miss. Rolo dashed across the square with Zangoose in hot pursuit. The center of the battlefield shifted over to the fountain. Aria raced after them as if participating in the fight herself. Azura hesitated when she ran off to the side. What was she doing? Running after fighting pokemon was uncivilized. Several people shouted and hurried away from the fountain now that the battle was headed their way. Aria skidded to a halt close by. She was in line with the fight once more.

"Flame, flame!" Aria warned.

Zangoose was closer than Rolo realized. The growlithe jumped onto the fountain's edge and whirled around. A quick spurt of fire exploded from his jaws. It pushed Zangoose back a step. The ferret hopped onto the fountain's edge with him. The two stood face to face. Rolo released a _flamethrower_. Zangoose charged through it, completely ignoring his trainer's orders. His eyes were wild. They flickered with pleasure. A swipe cleared the flames. Rolo went on the defensive. The crowd acknowledged Zangoose' tenacity and resilience but their gossip was filled with Rolo's behavior.

"Look at him up on the fountain! Isn't he scared of the water? Look at that! He's not even fazed by it! But how?" they said.

The two pokemon kept one another at bay with spurts of flame and swiping claws. Aria moved with them around the fountain. Azura eventually followed her example and caught up to the battle. He was more involved than he ever was before. With both trainer and pokemon in motion, the match elevated from an intense battle to pure spectacle. Rolo avoided another swiping claw. He ran around the edge of the fountain. Zangoose's heart thundered in his chest. He watched Rolo run through the jets of water. He could not compete in speed but he had to catch him. He had to. Without a prompt from Azura, Zangoose sprang as hard as he could across the fountain. Aria shouted. She could tell the hit was unavoidable. Rolo looked to the side. Zangoose exploded through the fountain jets. He thrust his arm forward. Yellow sparks licked his fur. Rolo took a _thunder punch_ coated in water in the shoulder. It was an attack initiated from instinct. He flew off the fountain in a yelp. The stone broke his fall. The crowd jumped back and roared.

"Did you see that!" they yelled. "What the heck was that? Zangoose used _thunder punch_ with the water for a surprise hit! Can he do that? I saw it in the arena. That was amazing! Did anyone hear Azura call it? That was brilliant."

Rolo was momentarily dazed. The punch was intensified by the water. He did not see Zangoose leap after him with eyes set on victory. It was time for Aria to take responsibility. She was the eyes and ears of her pokemon when they lost their senses.

"_Flame fang_!" Aria screamed through the cheers of the crowd.

Rolo trusted his trainer. Without sight, sound, or knowing where his opponent was, he snapped open his eyes. Zangoose was on top of him. His arm stretched in another attack. Rolo opened his jaws with sparking embers. His head whipped to the side. White teeth snapped onto Zangoose's arm. Rolo spun and pulled the ferret off his feet. At the same time, Rolo lifted his lips. It opened up a passage of air flow. Another torrent of fire erupted from his mouth while he was still clamped onto Zangoose. The ferret was engulfed in flames. Still in motion, Rolo released his grip. He slung the heavier zangoose away from him. It was something the ferret's own momentum allowed. The _flamethrower_ continued until Zangoose hit the ground. Rolo staggered from the recoil of his throw. The crowd held their breath. Aria ran over and stood a few feet behind her pokemon. Zangoose lay on the brick. His fur was blackened, burned, and smoked dry. Aria watched and waited. She respected pokemon too much to kick them when they were down. She wanted to witness his strength. Zangoose slipped an arm underneath his chest. His head turned to the side then down. He tried to stand. The arm underneath him shook. The weight was too much. Zangoose fell back onto the ground. He panted heavily and turned his head to look at Rolo. The growlithe held his ground. He was ready should they continue. The look he wore was out of respect for Zangoose's ability. It was neither taunting nor sympathetic. Zangoose's looked past the canine to his trainer. Her eyes were soft and bright like a sunny blue sky dotted with puffs of clouds. She smiled. He did not know why. It was not a smirk or a grin. It was a smile, a smile that said she was proud of him, proud as if he were hers. Zangoose's vision grew cloudy. It melted into darkness. The gentleman overseeing the match raised his hand.

"The challenger wins," he announced.


	6. Boulder Arc: 4

The crowd applauded with a few cheers. Their excitement quickly dwindled as the festival pulled their attention away. Several people spilled back into the square. The battle had strengthened the spirit of the festival. Vendors continued their enticements and costumed actors wandered through the crowd. The feinted zangoose glowed before transforming into energy and withdrawing into its pokeball. It clicked shut. Azura lowered his arm. His heart still pounded and his hands were on the verge of trembling. Was it the thrill of the battle or the frustration of losing?

Azura looked to the spot where his pokemon had fallen. He underestimated the woman and was thoroughly humiliated because of it. Yet something sparked inside of him. It was a feeling not often experienced. The ace looked to Aria as she ran over to her growlithe. The entire battle felt different than almost all the others he had experienced. He had forgotten what a battle of this caliber felt like: being involved in the match, running to and fro, unsure if you would win, knowing your opponent was worth fighting. It was an addictive feeling of risk. Azura had felt out of place during the entire match. The longer it had gone on, the less in control he felt. Several people slapped him on the back in good spirits for the fight.

"Nice try." They said. "Not your lucky day." "That _thunder punch_ was amazing!"

Azura tried to find the source of his insecurity. He realized that his zangoose had become more and more independent during the fight. His commands almost went unacknowledged. Disobedience was infuriating. But Azura also noticed how much faster and smoother zangoose had moved. He did not think to use the _thunder punch_ in conjunction with the fountain to strengthen it. Azura was drawn away from his diagnosis of the fight by the crowd. He ignored the sneers and remarks and patiently dealt with the fans.

Across the square, Aria received her own compliments and congratulations, mostly from visitors. Some of the locals did witness the fight. It was bitter sweet. They were proud of their hometown victor but also believed that Aria was inviting trouble. At least it did not end in ruin this time. Aria's victory only strengthened their fear. The spectators' questions and praise was a little overwhelming for the woman. One or two vendors even asked Aria if she would buy their products so that they could use her name to boost sales. The fans cleared when Azura approached. They turned away and pretended to go about their business. A few snooping eyes glanced over to the trainers. Aria gave Rolo one last pet before standing up to met him. She held herself with confidence.

"Here," Azura said. "As promised."

The ace pulled the out the roll of money from his pocket. Aria took her just reward. She looked at it then to Azura. He was looking down at Rolo who stood protectively over her foot.

"I underestimated your growlithe because of his evolution," Azura said.

The ace's tone was a little more condescending than Aria would have liked but at least it was a start.

"Don't feel too bad about it," she said. "He gets that a lot."

Her words were friendlier than Azura expected. The woman did not deny her victory through language or posture but she did not brag about it either. She had put aside their insults from before. She had won the match and proven her point after all. Battling with true and fierce competition always tended to create a connection between trainers. Unconscious information was revealed about them in battle. Aria had learned that the red headed trainer was strict and possibly ruthless at times. She could tell by the way his zangoose moved, especially at the very end. There was still hope for him not to end up a complete and utter jerk. Aria felt like there was, or at least once was, a respectable trainer down in there somewhere.

"I'm surprised you haven't used a stone yet," Azura continued.

Rolo was a well experienced pokemon. Azura figured that the only reason he had not evolved was because the woman couldn't afford to buy a fire stone. Evolution stones were extremely expensive due to their rarity and the fact that you could only use them a certain number of times before the energy ran out. They were luxury items. Most pokemon that could evolve with stones did not because of it, even though it was still a common mistake to view under evolved pokemon as weak.

Azura did not normally confer with his opponents. He was trying to be friendly. Unfortunately, his friendliness was coated in snobbish insult again. This was the second jab at her socioeconomic status. Aria did not let it get to her. She would not be baited into revealing such personal matters. Truthfully, she could not afford a stone. Aria redirected the question by looking to Rolo.

"A pokemon's evolution does not dictate its strength," she said. "Sometimes it can weaken them. Changing physical form and trying to adjust to it can take years. Adding a new coat of paint does not change what's on the inside."

Aria looked into the Ace's dark blue eyes. The look and comment jarred Azura's senses. Hesitation threaded through his gaze. There was a mix of emotions as he digested her words. The ace quickly tucked it away. He turned away to leave.

"Don't get full of yourself just because you won once," he said. "If we ever meet again, I don't expect to lose."

Aria let out a frustrated sigh. One day he might understand.

The ace wore a face that only seemed slightly concerned about his loss. Inside, he was furious with himself and his pokemon. No matter what excuse he came up with for losing, the phrase 'fair and square' came to mind. Azura glanced to the side at the group of businessmen. One or two glanced at him with judgmental eyes. Azura cursed. Not only was his pride torn in half, the light his seniors held him in had dimmed.

The ace snapped his attention forward. He had tried so hard to impress them. He had to show them that he was worthy of their investment and organization. His entire life's pursuit was thrown into jeopardy by a single backwoods nobody. Azura's frustration was interrupted. A gentleman in a black suited passed him shoulder to shoulder.

"Don't make such a face, Azura," he said as he passed. "It's unbefitting for a Greyblade."

The man's whisper chilled Azura's rage. The ace stopped. He turned an eye to the man who continued walking as if nothing had passed between them. Azura would have broken out into a sweat if the moment had lasted any longer.

Aria bent to down Rolo and had him stand still. She ran her hands over his fur. She checked under and around his legs, evaluating the damage received. Trainers with pokegear could have scanned Rolo to see how much estimated health he had left. Aria did not own such luxuries. She had neither pokegear nor supplementary equipment. What Aria did have was her instinct and years of fighting wild pokemon. She watched Rolo fight and expend energy for years. She could tell if he was hurt, tired, or on the verge of death.

The woman did not need a scanner to tell her that Rolo was (what the trainers would call) in the yellow. That enhanced _thunder punch_ had done a good deal of damage. It was a good thing the pokemon center was offering free healing in light of all the trainers coming in for the festival. She would have to bring him later. She did not carry any spray medicine. Pokemon healed on their own overtime but that often took longer. Rolo was tired and in need of some rest but could still function rather easily.

"Congratulations on your victory trainer," someone said as they approached. "I hope your growlithe didn't take too much damage."

Aria gave Rolo an extra scratch for winning. She put on a well deserved smile, put the winnings in her pocket, and looked up.

"He'll be alright. My Rolo knows how to take a hit," she said.

Aria was a little startled when she realized who she was talking too. It was the gentleman who had been standing amongst the businessmen residing over the match. The gentleman smiled and raised the tip of his hat. A set of sturdy steel gray eyes admired her. Now that he was so close, Aria could see how much of a distinguished person he was. The man was dressed in a form fitted black suit made with a material not even advertized on television. He wore a matching fedora, grey tie, and handkerchief. He looked sharper than a skarmory's wing. His smile knocked women off their heels. He was older than her, maybe in his high 30's with a body and face that made him ten years younger. Age had done nothing but refine him in all of the right places.

"That was quite the battle you had there," the gentleman began again. "It took a lot of us by surprise."

He looked off towards the fountain as if remembering those epic finale moments. Aria turned bashful at his underlying praise, especially since it came from someone of a completely different bracket.

"I was a bit surprised myself," Aria said. "I wasn't planning on battling today."

"Oh, really? I thought you would have anticipated a challenge or two from a fellow trainer with that conviction you have."

Aria turned her eyes nervously to the ground. The man read her body language. He could tell she was hesitant to talk. He smoothly took up his momentum to ease her discomfort.

"I'm glad you did though. It was a match worth watching."

"Thank you. If you're going to battle you should do it as hard as you can."

"Too true, too true. I have to admit though. The crowd was not in your favor at first."

The gentleman playfully motioned to the people around them as if they had been in the wrong all along. Aria smiled again. It told the gentleman that she was used to such behavior.

"Its better that way," Aria said. "It makes the battle that much more worth winning."

Aria did not want to admit that it would be nice to be favored once in a while, have a crowd offer you nothing but passionate enthusiasm. She did receive a little but it would be nice to have more than a twelve year old boy believe in her. The gentleman gave Aria a comforting smile. It was natural to want trust and hope instilled in themselves. All trainers aspired for glory and recognition even if it was not as intense as others.

Such a look from a stranger was rare. It was as if he could read her hidden desires. Aria, however, was too ignorant to feel the subtle pull and prod of the man's questions. His eyes gleamed lightly like an experienced researcher finding a new pokemon. The gentleman became more and more interested in Aria from her behavior and mannerisms. Her answers seemed to be based out of internal emotion rather than the desire for conquest. He tried to test this theory.

"I'm sure it was a little nerve racking, going up against an opponent like him," he said.

"It's always a gamble when battling, but that's part of the thrill," Aria said with a shrug.

The man raised a curious eyebrow. Was she unaware of what she just accomplished?

"Do you even know who your opponent was?" he asked.

Aria looked away to the crowd as if looking for the ace. She became embarrassed for several reasons.

"Oh," she exclaimed. "I was so excited that I forgot to ask him his name."

The gentleman suppressed a laugh. She honestly did not know who Azura was. His smile broadened. He tipped his hat down. It only made him like her all the more.

"That's alright," he said. "In the heat of battle, pleasantries can be forgotten."

Aria looked down to Rolo sitting at her feet. He was not completely comfortable with the gentleman engaging her. But he was tired and it seemed the man wasn't going to start any trouble. Thus, Rolo was content to glare. He was ready to growl should the man step any closer.

"But let me introduce myself," the gentleman continued. "My name is Liam Valenis."

He gave a slight bow and courteous wave of his hand. It reminded Aria of a butler or old timey gentleman. She was conflicted. A handshake and/or curtsey seemed inappropriate.

"I am part of a company that appreciates talented trainers like yourself. We sponsor them and help them on their journeys."

The gentleman pulled out a business card from inside his jacket. He took a step forward and held it out. Rolo growled just a smidgen. Aria flushed with embarrassment. Liam chuckled.

"If you're interested in taking your training to another level, give me a call. We can help you more than just financially. We can help you enter the battle circuit, whether for tournaments or the league challenge."

"Wha-why thank you," Aria stuttered.

She took the card somewhat in shock. Never had a company offered to back her so easily. Was this what it felt like to have a sponsorship? Liam used another question to fill her stunned reaction.

"By the way, may I ask you your name," he said.

Aria's blood pumped even harder. First, she challenges a complete stranger to a battle of morals, forgets to ask his name, and now, does not even introduce herself to a man willing to gamble money on her in the big leagues? How stupid and disrespectful could she be?

"Aria," she quickly answered.

There was a pause behind it.

"Does that come with a last name?" Liam gently teased.

Aria exploded in self loathing and humiliation.

"W-wicket, Sir. Aria Wicket."

Aria could not look him in the eye. Liam only smiled harder.

"You have a lot of potential, Aria. I hope your success continues."

Aria started to mumble something in humble denial but was interrupted (to her relief) by a familiar voice. John ran over to her.

"Aria, Aria! That was amazing!" he said. "The way you slid to the fountain and shouted "flame fang!" I wasn't worried. I knew you would win. You're so cool."

His ramblings continued as he tugged her clothes and grabbed her arm. Aria tried to accept his praise gracefully but it only fueled his excitement. John dropped down to Rolo. He hugged the growlithe like one of his own.

"You were amazing too, Rolo! You're the best growlithe in the region. He didn't stand a chance!"

Rolo jumped up and put his paws on John's shoulders. He licked the youngster's face. The fire canine relished in John's excitement rather than his praise. He was only too happy to win and make John and Aria happy. Now that John was preoccupied, Aria turned back to Liam to properly thank him for his offer. The gentleman was already gone. He was lost within the festival crowd. Aria searched for him but it came up empty. Apparently, her mumble was enough to satisfy him. To think that she was even considered being a trainer worthy of the battle circuit. The woman was filled with an abundance of joy. All of her hard work and trials suddenly became worth it. She couldn't even begin to express the satisfaction in it all. Aria laughed. She looked to John and Rolo.

"Aria, let's me and you have a battle! I'm ready! You can use Rolo and I'll use Lopo and-,"

"Whoah, slow down there champ," Aria said. "Before you battle again you should heal Charles at the pokemon center booth. Beside's I don't know how Charles would feel about you battling with Lopo."

John frowned. He returned to his senses as the fever of the battle cooled. Rolo gave him one last lick before turning to Aria. She crouched down and patted him on the head. The youngster looked to his shiny new pokemon belt, specifically, the single pokeball on it. He smiled and tapped it.

"I guess you're right," he said. "I wouldn't want Charles to get jealous."

Aria nodded. It was not that John did not like his pokemon. He loved them with all of his heart. Aria knew what it was like to be young and stare in awe at the strong pokemon of those older than you. John switched gears. His fondness for the woman showed. It jogged his original excitement spurred by the festival.

"If Rolo's here, then you must have brought Lopo, right?" he asked.

"That I did," she said.

Aria stood up. John became excited again. One of his personal goals of the day was built around her answer.

"Do you think me and Charles could play with them?"

Aria chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm.

"Of course, but first let's take care of Charles."

"You should come and bring Rolo too. And then, we should go watch the pokemon contest. If we hurry, we can watch the last half."

At the mention of the progression of the contest, Aria looked to her watch. It was already late afternoon. The judicial office would close in two hours. It was going to be packed. Aria had hoped to avoid the late crowd in case there was a complication. By playing with Styx and battling, the woman was dreadfully behind schedule. She silently cursed.

"Sorry, Johnny but I've got to get to the office before it closes. Maybe later," she said. "Even Rolo will have to wait."

Aria hastily withdrew Rolo and put him back on her belt. John frowned again but nodded. He was disappointed but understood. He knew what today meant for Aria. John called out to her one last time as she dashed away.

"Good luck, Aria. Say hi to Sebastian for me when he gets out!" he said.

"Thanks Champ, I will!" she said.


	7. Boulder Arc: 5

Aria gave a backhanded wave before maneuvering through the people. John's words pulled on a heart string. She went around the arena and debated jogging the rest of the way. The woman ignored the festival buzzing around her. The only thought in her mind was getting to the office as quickly as possible. Aria caught sight of the building. She came to an abrupt halt. The late crowd was filling in. People were lined up to register traded/ purchased pokemon, answer questions for legalization, fill out first time registration, and pay fines and dues. The line flowed out into the street. Aria restrained her heartbreak. The line would take forever to get through.

The woman raced to put herself in line. She did not regret battling for John's honor and spending quality time with Styx. She only wished she had more time in the day. Her frustration mirrored the expressions of the people in line. Aria could only wait and pray that she made it in enough time. The minutes dragged on. The line moved slowly. Several more people filed in behind her. The line extended down the sidewalk. Aria forgot that today was the office's busiest day. Several of their officers would be absent to judge the contest. It was also the day most people registered for their pokemon licenses and changed ownership. Pokemon fever was at its peak during arena day.

Aria tried not to glance at her watch every five seconds. When people began to leave the line after waiting for so long, she grew nervous. The woman inched closer and closer to the door with each painstaking step. It took Aria a full hour to make it to the entrance. Paperwork was tedious and many trainers caught by the fever were unprepared. Aria glanced to her watch. She held her breathe. Time was running thin. She whipped frantic eyes to the door. Security was heading in her direction. They would have to cut off the line and close the doors to make sure they closed on time. Aria panicked. She was too desperate to be turned away now. Aria stood close to the man in front of her. He became uncomfortable and shifted further in. Aria kept up the pressure aggressively. She managed to squeeze in through the front door. Security came closer. They motioned for the door.

"Excuse me, Miss," the one said.

The officer moved directly behind Aria. He told the line that the office was not going to make any more appointments for those not already in the lobby. There were several groans and complaints. Aria sighed in relief so loudly the man in front of her glanced back. She made the cut but just barely. Aria tilted to the side to examine the people in line. She was last and there were still several people in front of her. All three teller like stations were open. Aria fell back in line. She was more nervous now that she was inside the building. Aria pulled the paperwork from her bag. She had scanned over it more than a thousand times. Her fingers grazed Sebastian's black pokeball. They were almost there.

Another fifteen to thirty minutes went by before Aria was next. One 'teller' had already left. The second finished with her client and started cleaning up her desk. It forced Aria onto the remaining one. The man in front of her stepped away. He revealed the woman working at the station. Aria straightened and waited to be addressed. She did not want to be rude. The woman at the station was drained of all pleasantries and formalities. She did not even look up.

"Ok, last one, step up," she barked.

No one had volunteered to work the busiest day of the year. The three receptionists had spent the whole day hearing about it from others. While their friends had fun, they had to deal with problems and unpleasant tourists at a stress level above normal. Aria noticed that the woman's desk was messier than the last time she visited. The teller looked overwhelmed. Aria tried not to take offense at the abruptness of her words. She swiftly stepped up to the desk. Aria rehearsed this hundreds of times. It was the time to perform.

"I'm here to lift the restrictions placed on one of my pokemon," Aria began.

She sped through her words. Aria carefully laid out the papers on the desk. They were already organized and neatly filed.

"I've already filled out the paperwork, called in my release to the office, and submitted my petition."

Aria tried to show how diligent and responsible she was. Being a more serious and less common affair, the secretary brought her eyes around to Aria's hands leaving the documents on the desk. She scooped them up and destroyed Aria's handiwork. She adjusted her glasses. The secretary thumbed through the pages to inspect them. Aria waited in respectful silence. She rocked on her toes. She would wait another hour if she had to. The secretary finished with Aria's papers and brought up her file. The young woman's heart fluttered.

Aria recognized the staff in the office. She came in several times before to get a step ahead. She did everything she could to speed up the process and make sure there were no mistakes. The woman scanned over Aria's file and paperwork again. She recognized the information. The situation that caused it was memorable. She also had a vague remembrance of the young woman coming in several times to request earlier petitioning. The secretary was rather impressed with Aria's diligence. She had her ducks in a row and was eager enough to support them.

"Looks like you're ready to get that pokemon released," the woman said.

Aria could not tell if it was said in ridicule or not. The restrictions placed on Aria's pokemon were for a full year. It was not necessary to have your pokemon released exactly to the date. You could wait several days beyond their sentencing. Most people did. And according to the nature of the predicament, some people did not care to release their pokemon until weeks after.

"I hope you're as ready as you look," the secretary said. "You're not scared are you?"

"No ma'am," Aria replied.

She ignored the secretary's prying gaze. Aria's smile threatened to stretch her face in half. She could not contain it, especially now that the woman was signing papers. The secretary typed some things, clicked a few others, and even stamped something. The clerk held out a paper. Aria took it.

"Please write your name and date, and sign to agree to the terms originally set for you," she said.

Aria's gaze scrambled for a pen. She found one shoved to the side of the desk. She snatched it up. Aria filled out the front and back of the sheet before handing it back. The woman took it and stapled it to something. She handed the sheets over to Aria again before pulling out some more.

"Those are yours to keep. And these are the forms of official release."

The stapled papers in Aria's hands became heavy. Her heart stopped fluttering. It was like being hit with a confuse ray. The secretary continued with her work. She placed an address sticker on an envelope. She handed it over to Aria who took it slowly.

"You'll need to fill those out completely," the clerk said. "After you do that, send in your identification and pokemon history form including the pokemon in question's latest evaluation, and the confirmation form from this office in that envelope to Mile City. It has to arrive three days in advance of your release date. Make sure you arrive at the courthouse in Mile City within a week of the paperwork's arrival or you'll have to send it in again or deal with personal relations."

"Mile City?" Aria said.

Doubt softened her words. She was talking to herself more than the clerk.

"Yes, it's all there in the forms. Just follow the instructions. All transferred releases have to be signed by the head Judge and you and the pokemon have to be physically present to have the clamps removed. Make sure you bring his original pokeball, or a new one if you prefer, you'll just have to reregister him."

"You mean my pokemon can't be released yet?"

"Not with cases involving dangerous pokemon. It's handled by the region."

"But aren't you guys part of the same system? Can't you just undo it here?"

"No, Honey. We may be a branch but we don't have the authority. We don't have a high enough official in this office or the equipment. Even if we did, we would still need approval from the Judge in Mile city.

"So now I have to go to the capital? But I thought I could handle things here?"

"We just handle the preliminary work. And there's a lot with cases like yours. Just follow the instructions and you'll have your pokemon back soon enough."

"But I wasn't told any of this during the trial. Why did nobody tell me this after all the times I came in here? There should-,"

"Unfortunately, the judge can't explain every step of the way during a trial. That's just how it is sweet heart. There are procedures that have to be followed. The senate is very strict when it comes to this. This is serious business and pokemon like yours aren't to be given the same freedoms as everyone else. Trainers have to take responsibility and accept the consequences of their actions. Pokemon like yours shouldn't be on the street anyway."

The entire office went silent. Aria was still. Her eyes were shadowed. The clerk's words left a bitter taste in her mouth. She immediately regretted everything she just said. The secretary's frustration was misplaced on the trainer in front of her. Aria lifted her head. She looked at the clerk in a way that shut the secretary's mouth completely. Aria's eyes were hot with tears. She was just stabbed in the heart with a piece of jagged iron. The clerk let go of Aria's gaze. She could not bear to hold it any longer. Aria did not scream in outrage. She did not throw the papers back in the woman's face. She even managed to hold back her tears.

"I just have to follow the instructions?" Aria said.

There was a calmness and control in her voice that did more damage than any complaint, threat, or insult could have ever achieved.

"Y-yes," the clerk said.

The clerk and Aria were not much more than acquaintances. How could she have said such terrible things? Before last year's incident Aria's reputation in the Boulder was of a beautiful, fair, dedicated, hard working, and strong trainer that loved her pokemon more than anything else. She was a bit of a recluse, a little shy, and slow going at times, but nothing that deserved a blow like that. The secretary had forgotten all of those things in the festival. She only remembered that night, a perfect year ago, that changed the face of Boulder. She let the rumors and judgments taint her outburst.

Aria said nothing else. She put her papers together, said thank you, and turned away. The sight of Aria's back turning like that pushed the secretary over the edge. She would never be able to forgive herself.

"Aria!" she quickly called.

The clerk took off her glasses. Aria stopped with the smooth quietness of a ghost.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean what I said. There is just a lot of political build up and jargon whenever you deal with judges. They're with the government after all."

Aria turned around. She put on a weak smile to quiet the clerk. The secretary stood up from behind the desk. She was truly sorry. Sure the incident at last year's festival left a lot of people scared and angry but they all seemed to forget that Aria went through much worse. The others in the office quietly watched.

"It'll take a few more days but I'm sure you'll get your pokemon released without any trouble."

"I hope so," Aria said.

She left the office. The clerk sighed heavily and slumped into her chair, causing it to roll a little. What a terrible way to end the day.


	8. Boulder Arc: 6

Boulder Ark: 3

The sun was already setting by the time Aria stepped outside. She walked away from the judicial office furious. As her steps took her farther and farther away, she became sad and soon disgusted. Aria had nowhere in particular to go. She had lost her motivation and conviction. The woman sat on the stone steps of a small sunken amphitheater behind the arena. She sat long enough for her hot and confused emotions to shimmer down to remorseful disappointment.

There were a few other people seated randomly throughout the theater. A couple held hands. A parent and child shared cotton candy. John and Aria's two pokemon, Rolo and Lopo, played on the stage down in the center. Lopo was Aria's houndor. He was just as fiery as his brother Rolo but less inclined to rowdy play and silly adventures. The noise of the festival was muffled. All events in the theater were over. It created a resting spot for those taking a break from the festivities.

The laughter and conversation of those in the theater were distant to Aria. She looked down from the hazy horizon to the hand resting on her knee. She held the court documents and instructions in her hand. They fluttered lightly in the breeze. Aria wanted nothing more than to let them go and watch them get carried away by the wind and removed from her life forever. Her wrist relaxed. The woman's eyes fluttered. She bit her bottom lip. The clerk had no right to say those things about her pokemon.

She had no right.

Aria calmed. She took a deep breath. She knew it was not going to be easy to get Sebastian released. It was not the clerk or the system that rattled her bones. It was how she religiously counted down the days and hours for this moment. She believed that Sebastian would be standing at her side by now. The disappointment was unbearable. Aria missed him more than the sight of the sun in a storm. She just wanted him to be out, enjoying life alongside her. She had been so excited to see him.

Aria looked down to her lap. She unfastened Sebastian's pokeball. Aria held it up so that she could look at it. This was not his original pokeball. This one was full black. The woman enlarged it. The release button glowed red. Two clamps came over it to create an X. This pokeball would never be opened by pokemon or trainer unless unlocked. They called it a probation sphere. It was a pokeball specifically created by the government. It was the only one that could recapture a pokemon while its energy was still coated and linked to its original pokeball. Despite being a pokeball, it was considered an anti pokemon device, a device used to incapacitate pokemon.

Probation balls were controversial and thus strictly restricted to government authority. They were to be used only in the direst of emergences to recapture pokemon that had broken the law or were considered too dangerous for even their trainers to handle. Aria looked into the glowing red button. It was not a pokeball. It was a prison. Convicted pokemon were confined to it. They had to serve out their sentence in it. During that time, the pokemon was supposed to reevaluate its behavior as well as its trainer.

It was bullshit.

How time and space functioned in a pokeball was still unknown to the world. There was no telling what a pokemon was thinking when he was inside. Did a day in a pokeball feel like years or milliseconds? Were they conscious or in a dream like state?

What researchers did know came from pokeballs that had been abandoned for years or even decades. When these pokemon were released, they acted as if they had not been out for more than a few hours. They were confused and frightened. They woke up to strange people in unfamiliar surroundings. These pokemon looked for a trainer they may or may not remember. The trainer could have died, weren't coming back, or looked different despite the pokemon being the same.

Much older, primitive pokeballs, contained pokemon, that when released, went wild with rage or madness. Aria hated that, for a whole year, Sebastian was locked inside of his pokeball. He could be afraid, going crazy, or believing he was abandoned. That's why Aria did not like withdrawing her pokemon. She wanted them out at her side as often as she could. Aria caressed the black ball a little tighter. She closed her eyes and slowly pressed it against her forehead. What sort of torment did they undergo?

"I'm sorry Sebi," she whispered. "Just a little while longer."

Aria held the ball there a while before pulling it away. She adjusted it between her hands until she found the right spot. The woman pulled it closer before raising her head. She looked down the steps to John. He had released a freshly healed Charles to join the fun. Aria looked away again. A lot of unexpected events happened today. She sighed with the weight of the stars upon her. The woman glanced around to the people milling about. The big screen outside of the arena nearby caught her attention. A picture of a red haired trainer slid across it. There was as a smaller picture of the pokemon he won the tournament with next to it. It was a zangoose. Text scrolled underneath. It read:

"Congratulations Azura, this year's tournament champion!"

Aria unconsciously smiled. She looked away with a weak laugh. Her victory was even sweeter. Now she understood what the gentleman Liam had asked of her. The thought lightened her spirits. She did not hear the approaching footsteps.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" someone said.

Aria looked up to a white musketeer looking down at her. He smiled and removed his mask. The man was around her age. Without the mask, he had a much more relatable appearance.

"No, please," Aria said.

She nodded to the empty seat next to her. She fastened the black ball back onto her belt. The musketeer maneuvered his cape out of the way and sat on the stone stair like seats.

"Thanks. It's a lot quieter over here," he said. "Sometimes you just need a little break from all the excitement."

As he sat down, Aria put her papers into the large envelope she had received. She did not want to flash her affairs all over town. The musketeer sighed from his taxing day. He removed his large feathered hat. Aria sympathized with his fatigue.

"Not a lot of people realize how much energy goes into playing a mascot," she said.

The musketeer rubbed a hand through his hair. It made it stick up oddly. It drew Aria's attention. The dark purple strokes grew to an almost black at the back and base of his head. Aria did not know if it was natural or dyed but the color seemed strangely befitting of him. He glanced to her.

"It sounds like you've had some experience with this sort of thing," he said.

The musketeer winked an eye now that the light of sunset touched his face. Aria shrugged her shoulders. She held the envelope with two hands in front of her.

"I know what it's like to dress in costume. It's amazingly fun but very tiring," she said. "You have to function at such a high energy and it gets hot."

"Very hot," he repeated.

The young man chuckled. Aria smiled.

"Are you working a booth?" he continued.

"No, I live around here so I help out with the festivals a lot," she said. "I try to get people to buy knick knacks or play games. I've done clean up, set up, you know, those sorts of things. Just what I can if someone needs me, even if it means dressing up in a silly outfit and becoming a mascot."

Aria's words stung a little. She had not been asked to help this year. The musketeer caught the shift in her body language. He glanced to the envelope in her hand and recognized the seal. It would be wise to change course.

"By the way," the musketeer said. "My name is Raven."

He shifted the hat in his hands and extended one to Aria. The woman took it with a small shake.

"Aria," she said.

Raven pulled out a bottle of water he had with him. He would have poured it over his head but it was inappropriate to do so next to a new acquaintance. He took a drink. His day was more eventful than expected as well. Aria turned her gaze away.

_Raven_ she thought. It matched him and his hair.

"I saw your battle today," the musketeer added. "It was a good one. I'm glad I didn't miss it. It's not often that you get to see Azura shown up like that."

Aria grinned. She had won a single match against the tournament champion and winning pokemon. The woman was even prouder of herself for standing up for John. At first, she had been afraid that she was being too aggressive. Raven did not mention what he heard amongst the crowd during and after the battle. Some of the locals had said things about the woman. The crowd took them like reeds in a wild fire. Rumors, speculations, and judgments were passed around like candy. Many were based off of an event that happened at last year's festival. From what Raven heard, it was not something good. He did not let the negative spotlight on Aria's past influence his opinion of her. He was too open minded and accepting for that.

"Is that him, the growlithe you battled with?" Raven asked.

He motioned towards the boy playing with several pokemon on stage.

"Yep, that's my Rolo," she said.

Unlike the red haired ace, Raven did not underestimate the growlithe because of his evolution. There were plenty of people who did not evolve their pokemon (and not because they were not strong enough). Evolution changed physical appearance and sometimes personality. Not all people wanted it or could handle it. It was Rolo's skills that were impressive.

"He's strong," Raven said. "What's his level?"

Aria looked over to her pokemon teasing John. Rolo pulled at his shirt and was subsequently tackled by Charles. She had no idea what the levels of her pokemon were. She did not have a scanner to tell her such specific information. She did not have the pokegear or the funds. Sure the pokecenter could run a diagnostic test but that was expensive. If a pokemon was happy, what did it matter? Aria knew Rolo's limits, strengths, weaknesses, and determination. She did not need some machine to tell her what Rolo was capable of.

"You know, I'm not too sure," she admitted. "To tell you the truth, I don't think it matters as much as people think."

Raven raised a curious eyebrow. He leaned back on his elbows to listen. Aria explained.

"A level fifteen pokemon could beat a level thirty if he had cunning and luck with him, not to mention motivation. There are so many factors that influence pokemon: their age, experience, daily practice, and will. Pokemon weaken as they age just like we do and if they don't keep up their training they'll get rusty. You can have all of the strength in the world but it won't matter if you don't know how to use it. I've seen a ton of pokemon lose because their hearts weren't in it. There's also the energy the trainer emits and their commands that could help or hinder their efforts. Oh, and then there's type. That's probably one of the biggest."

Raven smiled. He nodded thoughtfully. He liked this woman. She was very wise for her years.

"You make a good point," he said.

"It's more than good, it's the truth!"

Aria brimmed with pokemon theory and enthusiasm. Raven caught her glance. She could see the reflection of her zeal in his eyes. The two laughed lightly.

Down on the stage, John was out of breath. He took a seat on the edge of the stage to take a break. Aria's two fire canines often played with Charles and John. Rolo and Lopo were friends with John even before he had a pokemon of his own. Aria had been the youngster's friend since he could remember. They got along spectacularly.

Rolo and Lopo were enjoying themselves but they always left a cautious eye on their trainer. She had a tendency of wandering off without telling them. Aria trusted them so much that it was up to them to keep up. And they did. It was in both of their natures to stick to the pack. It was their duty to be overly defensive of their trainer. When a man in a white costume approached, they were both weary. While they played, the two fire canines exchanged concern with a single glance. They debated returning to Aria's side. The man's energy was calm if not a bit nervous. He was tired and too wrung out to try anything suspicious. Aria's energy was also nervous but unafraid. She was curious and passive. The two brothers decided to hold back their assault. From then on, they paid more attention to their owner. John was oblivious to all of it.

A small ripple of laughter echoed down to the stage from the pair. Lopo quickly glanced over to them mid play. He looked to Rolo. The growlithe gave the invisible go ahead. They had not authorized such friendly behavior. Rolo stayed on stage to keep John unaware. The youngster favored the houndor but could not ignore the growlithe's kisses. Lopo jumped off of the stage and ran up the stairs. Raven and Aria watched. He was a black and silver bullet across the tan stone. Lopo came over to Aria's leg. He cautiously watched the musketeer.

"I'm guessing he's one of yours too," Raven said.

Lopo stood between the two. He defensively leaned against Aria's leg. The houndor put his nose to the air. He craned out his neck to investigate the musketeer without getting too close. Aria gave a smile unique to the dark pokemon. She slid her hand across the bone like crest on his head and scratched his ears. She stroked the smooth black fur down his neck and between the two bone ridges that strapped across his back.

"This is Lopo, my houndor," she said.

Raven smiled but knew better than to try and pet him. It was dangerous to pet another person's pokemon, especially if it was a protective canine breed.

"Hey, Lopo," Raven greeted.

Lopo pinched his gaze. He growled lightly. There was something off about this man. He did not know what it was but he was hiding something. Aria shifted her leg. It pushed the dark pokemon out of his aggression.

"It's okay Lopo, I'm sure Raven won't do anything now that you're here," she teased to the both of them.

Aria trusted her pokemons' instincts far better than her own. She could not tell if Lopo was being moody or protective. Both were common. The woman kept her insecurities tucked away. She was too emotionally drained for paranoia.

"If he's anything like your growlithe, I would be a fool to try," Raven replied.

He took no offense. The musketeer even subtly shifted a little farther away.

_Oh he is_ Aria thought with a smirk about the houndor's abilities. Raven used the moment as a catalyst. He stood up with mask and hat in hand.

"It's probably best I get back to work now," Raven began.

He put on his hat and mask.

"Thanks for letting me share my break with you. It wouldn't have been nearly as fun sitting by myself."

"I'm glad to help," Aria said.

"Oh, I almost forgot."

Raven picked up his water and a colorfully decorated bag that he brought with him. It was filled with various confectionary treats from his booth. Raven fell back into the role of eccentric musketeer. He dramatically flared his coat. He then bowed and held out the bag. Lopo did not like it but he could also smell what was inside the bag.

"For you and your pokemon," Raven said in his showman's voice. "A congratulations for your victory."

Aria chuckled. She took the bag with a bashful thank you. Rolo barked from the stage. He started coming up the stairs. John and Charles were close behind. Raven glanced to them before turning to Aria one last time. He tipped his hat.

"It was a pleasure," he said.

With another flare of his cape, the musketeer was off. Not long after, Rolo ran between Aria's legs. He investigated the bag of treats thoroughly. The woman held them up out of reach. John picked up Charles. The raccoon pokemon's little legs dangled down. The youngster watched Raven reenter the crowded festival grounds. His eyes lit up brighter than the sunset.

"Was that the musketeer man from Typhlosion Treats? _Uwaaa_ he's so cool," he said.

Aria chuckled. Clearly, Raven was good at his job. John glanced away to the sky filled with orange clouds. It signaled a new round of activities to take place once it got dark. The pokemon celebration spared no expense. The night life was just as exciting as the day. It was even better in some respects. Light shows, pokemon performances, and illuminated decorations could shine in full glory. For John, the transition was unbearably exciting.

"Are you going to stay and watch the fireworks?" he said. "I know your parents aren't coming back until tomorrow. You can watch them with me and my mom. They're not scared of your pokemon!"

Aria ignored the unintentional backlash of the statement. It was not supposed to be hurtful. Aria smiled but the comment reminded her how emotionally and physically tired she was.

"Thanks Johnny, but I don't think I'll stay this year," she said. "I'm the only one in charge of the Con today so I'll have to go back early."

Aria felt her excuses grate against her heart. John frowned in disappointment but he was prepared for something like this.

"Then will you come around the festival with me? At least until you leave. We can buy one of those special cookie things you like and I'll win you a prize cuz I've been practicing before the festival even started."

Aria shook her head. She stood with her envelope in hand and brushed off her pants.

"I don't know, Champ. I'm tired now so I think I'll just go home."

That was not an excuse. Being in charge of the conservation sight was taxing. She had to wake up early to finish her duties and chores. Then she swam with Styx, walked down the mountain to the city, battled, and waited in line for what felt like forever. That was just the physical stress. The strain of battling, interacting with strangers, underlying turmoil of last year's festival, and the build up and break down of Sebastian's failed release took a heavy toll on the woman. It was time for John to come to Aria's aid. He directed an expression of annoyance at her. She was playfully taken aback by it.

"But you can't go yet! It's still so early!" he said.

Aria tried to say something about him playing with his other friends. John would not let her. He wasn't finished.

"I saw them today already! Plus you said you couldn't come to the festival in the beginning of the week because of work. I've hardly seen you at all!"

Aria flushed a little. John was trying so hard. He truly wanted to spend time with her. She knew the youngster looked up to her as a role model. She figured it was just because of her pokemon. It did not feel like that anymore. Aria was an only child. If she had a nephew or a younger brother, this must have been what it felt like. John's genuine friendship managed to pull a few heart strings. Aria could not refuse.

"Alright, alright, I'll stay a little longer," she sighed.

Aria was beaten by a twelve year old. John rocked on his heels and squeezed Charles. He was going to walk the festival with her. Aria withdrew Rolo. He was quite the celebrity today. Having him out would probably disrupt the pair's fun and games. John was also a young trainer so he withdrew Charles. Lopo, however, remained out. It was only fair to keep him out since Rolo got to battle. Styx had his time with her this morning so Aria did not feel guilty about it.

From what Aria could tell, Lopo was John's favorite out of her party. He never announced it through fear of insulting her other pokemon. It was easy to see by the way John played and spoke about the houndor. Lopo got along well with him. He did not view John as a constant treat or annoyance. He thought of the boy as an extension of the pack. He had a lower status than Aria but John was a rising member.

Together, the three walked into a livelier part of the festival. John led them to one of his favorite games. It consisted of trying to catch a fake magikarp for a prize. After that, they meandered around the booths looking for early Christmas or birthday presents for family and friends. John was only too eager to point out things he would not mind obtaining in the future. There were trinkets, tools for trainers, and food. Aria bought two multicolored chocolate lollipops in the shape of the legendary pokemon Latios and Latias. They enjoyed them while watching a performance of grass type pokemon dancing to music.

Aria gave John a time warning. They played one more game together. Aria took her place at the booth. She had to guess where a pokemon was hiding. John stood at her side, spouting encouragement. Aria focused and had an answer but her attention was drawn away for just a moment by a loud burst of laughter. Across the way, she spotted Raven, or rather the musketeer, dazzling a few customers. The white mask found its way into Aria's gaze. Raven recognized her and smiled. He winked with a touch like salute to his hat. Aria bashfully looked away after being caught looking.

She giggled. The woman masked it with John's excitement and speculation. She picked a box and a pokemon popped out to the surprise of the vendor. Aria won the game. John scanned the prize wall until he spotted what he wanted. It was the perfect choice. The youngster pointed to it. He eagerly held out his hands until the attendant gave it to him.

John whirled around with a stuffed tentacruel plush held high over head. He thrust it into Aria's hands and gave it to her. Afterwards, he felt satisfied and accomplished for being so manly. He strutted on ahead. Aria looked down at the plush. It was hard to keep her heart from melting. She caught up with her little hero, and after a little more walking around, parted was as the sky turned a dark grey blue. On her way out of the festival, Aria took a detour into one of the trainer oriented tents. She decided to treat herself with the money she won from Azura. A rebreather for underwater swimming was the perfect splurge. Aria hugged the plush a little closer. It was only appropriate.


	9. Boulder Arc: 7

Boulder Ark: 4

Aria left the festival in better spirits. She went home earlier and lonelier than anticipated but her disappointment and frustration were already down to a simmer. John and Raven had done well to distract her. By the time she made the long walk uphill, she was too tired to bother with it anymore. The sky grew darker and deeper. The stars came out by the dozens until they blanketed the sky. The rural area allowed for a spectacular midnight display (despite the over illuminated town). Aria lavished underneath its radiance. She was bathed in star light and the dim flash of fireworks above the city.

Aria sat in the middle of a rock face exposed from the mountain over time. It was higher up on the mountain but had a clear view of the stars and fireworks. The festival below was a mass of glowing orange, yellow, purple, pink, and blue. Fireworks streamed into the sky and exploded over Boulder. The display was the final activity for the night. Aria leaned back onto the stone and watched. The bag of treats Raven had given her was open on the blanket. She popped one into her mouth. There were several barks. Aria opened her legs to look down the rock face to Rolo and Lopo who were playing.

She grabbed two treats and tossed them down in their direction. The subsequent silence told her they were received. A goofy grin spread across her face as she imagined them lavishing in the delight. Aria leaned back again and shifted her hips to reach for her pokebelt. She clicked off the black ball. The release button glowed more fiercely in the darkness. The feint starlight glinted off the top. Aria put her legs together. She placed the ball in the groove between her knees. It was presented like a priceless gem. She turned it so that the release faced the mountain side. She then tilted it up to the sky so that Sebastian could 'watch' with her. She wouldn't let him be left behind.

Aria caught a glimpse of a dull white glow beside her. Something had fallen out of her pocket. It was the business card the man in the snappy suit gave her. Aria reached over and picked it up. It was hard to read in the darkness. She tilted it in various ways to catch the light. Aria remembered the man's name, Liam Valenis. It suddenly dawned on her that Valenis was the name of the region. Liam's ancestors were probably the ones that founded and started the first settlements in the region. Either that or they played a major role in its development.

This man was a big deal. He had history and old money behind him. Aria rubbed her thumb over the insignia in the corner. It was difficult to make out but Aria knew the outline of it. There was a shield engraved with wings. Two swords crossed over it from behind in an X. It was the symbol, or more accurately, crest, of the company called The Greyblades. They were one of the biggest companies in the country, not just the region.

The Greyblades produced pokegear, balls, apparel, and had many other smaller branches. They were a well known and highly valued brand that catered to pokemon trainers. They were leaders in poketech and some pokemon research. The crest of a Greyblade was the mark of a serious and wealthy trainer. If a trainer looked like a badass, he was probably wearing or using Greyblade merchandise.

The Greyblades were heavily involved with trainers and not just with their products. They sponsored trainers, owned training facilities, and were the name behind many battling celebrities. They were beyond huge. The realm of pokemon battling was more exciting than all other industries. It had the adrenaline of sports and the flare of acting. It excelled in popularity and monetary worth. Aria could not read it clearly but she was sure she saw CEO on the front of the card. Her heart raced. She did not realize that such an important and powerful person had reached out to her.

For a moment, she panicked. Had she been too nervous and awkward with Liam? Was she disrespectful in any way? She fretted over petty things of no real consequence. Aria calmed when she remembered that Liam was the one who approached her. Her confidence swelled. Raising a pokemon right was not an easy task. She must have done something right.

The delayed boom of the fireworks echoed across the mountain. Lopo came over to Aria now that he was done messing around. He looked up to the bright flashes of light in the sky. He would have been invisible in the dark if it wasn't for the polished crest on his head and bands on his legs. Rolo lagged behind. He pawed at something in the rocks. The fire canines were left to their own devices when out of their pokeballs. They never strayed far.

Some ways away, floating in his favorite pond, Styx was also out of his great ball. A greenish glow hung around the water. Specks of soft green light floated close to the reeds. Once in a while, they strayed over open water. They were an unexplainable phenomenon. Some thought they were created by pokemon, plants, or what her parents believed to be the spirit of the mountain. The specks bathed the tentacruel in hovering specks of light. Styx floated close to shore amongst the reeds. He dutifully finished placing the last four candy pieces Aria allotted to him in a neat little line across his helmet. They were perfectly spaced and organized. Styx wiggled two tentacles in silent victory. He showed off his accomplishment to an audience of one. It consisted of the tentacruel plush Aria had placed by the bank to face him. Styx paraded around the pond for the specks to see. They swirled about him in congratulations.

On the side of the mountain, Aria smiled at the business card.

She could be a real ace trainer.

Who didn't want to make it to the big leagues and become a celebrity? Oh, to be rich and famous. To be recognized, praised, and acknowledged was a universal dream. It promised fun and excitement. Aria lowered the card in her lap. She looked up into the sky beyond the bright flashes of colored light. But was it really what her heart desired? Aria loved her mountain. She loved her job, working on the Con, patrolling the mountain and protecting it. She loved watching and battling wild pokemon, swimming in the pond at lunch, racing over the land at dawn, living a life alongside her pokemon unrestricted, free.

Aria lifted the card again. She envisioned the future it contained. The offer was tempting. Living the life of a classic trainer on a journey was not for the underprivileged. It was a rich man's sport. You had to pay for pokegear with all of its gadgets, tricks, and upgrades. Then there were pokeballs. They were not cheap, especially anything above the classic type. They broke and failed to catch pokemon more often than not and constantly needed to be replaced. If you did managed to fill one you had to keep it maintained. Malfunctioning or damaged pokeballs could trap the pokemon inside or allow it out whenever it wanted. If it was broken it might completely release the pokemon's obligation to its trainer. If you replaced the ball you would have to reregister its energy signature with the Official Pokemon Oversight Committee. Potions, revives, repels, and the like were further expenses, not including any TMs, HMs, toys, apparel for contests and tournaments, and other luxury items.

Trainers could make money in matches but at the same time you had to be prepared to give it up if you lost. And that was after you found a trainer to battle in the first place. Picking random fights was not a smart thing to do. You had no idea what your opponents pokemon were or what level they were at. Then there was the cost of lodging, transportation, food (for you and your pokemon), and the fee of using a pokemon center. Aria sighed. Having a sponsor would be unbelievably helpful especially from such a renowned corporation.

Aria put the business card back into her pocket. She looked to her knees and the pokeball aimed at the fireworks. She had more important things to do first. A screaming boom signaled the finale. Aria opened up her arm as Lopo came over. He situated himself and leaned against her. Rolo did the same on the other side. He put his head in her lap. The three snuggled in to watch the show. Back in the forest, Styx happily ate all of his treats simultaneously. He settled in the water to sleep. He did not need to see his family to know that they were with him.


	10. Boulder Arc: 8

Boulder Ark: 5

Aria was not the only one lost in thought. Liam Valenis was the sole patron of a rooftop bar down in Boulder. He was showered with bursts of light from the fireworks just down the road. It was a perfect spot for viewing. It was quiet and isolated from the common folk. He was surrounded with perfectly manicured shrubby with a metal and glass table at his side. Liam's eyes were aimed at the ground. His thoughts were much more fantastic than the display.

The CEO of the Greyblades lazily held a glass of wine in his hand. He gently rolled it around. All he could think about was the pokemon battle between Aria and Azura. Aria was a trainer unafraid of the world. Liam pictured her. She challenged Azura so boldly without knowing if he was stronger or more experienced than her. If she had known his identity, would she have been so eager to challenge?

Many trainers battled with Azura. They tried to outdo him, show off, or prove themselves worthy of being a Greyblade. Aria did not seem to be the type. She probably challenged trainers blindly all the time and won more often than not. She left nothing to chance. Aria used her will and experience to succeed no matter the odds. Her pokemon were strong. She proved that in the match. Liam smiled as he rubbed his chin. Just thinking about the battle this afternoon gave him goose bumps.

_Recon!_ She had said.

That was not an attack command. That was a strategy plan. It was an order to have her growlithe go on the defensive and use simple tooth and claw to test and tease his opponent. It assessed their speed, agility, strength, attack style, and temperament. It was a way of gauging ones opponent in order to develop a winning strategy. For all of that to be put into a single word, it told Liam that Aria spent an enormous amount of time training with her pokemon. She had taught them how to hold back, let their opponent do all the work and reveal everything they needed to know in order to win.

This also told the CEO that Aria trained through endurance. She lived and battled as if expecting the worst. Battles could come any day at any time. She trained believing that many battles were to come. She had to be careful. She had to save every ounce of strength, health, and energy that she could. The woman was careful and cautious. Liam could tell that her strategy was perfected by the way her growlithe had carried it out. Aria was no rookie. She lived a life of constant battling. Liam carefully placed his lips to the glass. He took a slow diagnostic sip.

The bright yellow, orange, and red flashes mimicked the colors of the first _flamethrower_ Aria ordered in the battle. It was a wise choice based off of the puppy pokemon's earlier reconnaissance to keep the zangoose and his close combat at bay. The attack had been beautiful, disastrous, and powerful. Those nips and small bursts of flame were warm-ups to increase the strength of the first real move, insuring a critical strength attack. Liam mentally retraced the path of the battle.

Aria had hardly shouted out any commands, and when she did, they were short and brisk. She left her pokemon to think and fight on his own. This allowed the growlithe to focus and concentrate. It minimized hesitation and the lag between attacks. The growlithe was allowed to follow the flow of the battle. He could attack when there was an opening and defend when appropriate. He was only commanded when Aria saw something that he could not. It created split second responses.

That sort of thing required complete trust between pokemon and trainer. Aria was mobile. She ran around the battlefield with no regard of the judgment of her peers. She was always watching and calculating with an eagle's eye. It was as if she was fighting the battle herself. There was such fluidity and grace between Aria and her growlithe. Each counteracted one another's weakness for full efficiency. It would have taken years upon years of battling to reach such symbiosis. It took decades for veteran trainers to fight as one body, mind, and spirit. Aria was barely in adulthood.

What else but unwavering loyalty and trust could have allowed a growlithe to purposefully fight so close to water? The puppy pokemon fearlessly came within a hair's breadth of the edge. His species was strictly a fire type. One of their greatest weaknesses was water. They had an inherent fear of it. He easily shrugged it off. It did not distract him for a moment. Somehow, Aria taught him how to control it. It was a feat considered impossible by most trainers. It was something only seen in gym leaders, elite, and other high level trainers. Aria's style was so influential that it had pulled out Zangoose's fighting will to perform an attack before his trainer's instruction.

Why then, had Liam never heard of her in the trainer's circuit? There was not one lick of gossip about her. The woman was also more than skilled. She was just as intelligent as she was strong. Liam's memory brought him to the end of the battle. He could see it as clear as day. He saw Growlithe take Zangoose in his jaws and bathe him in fire. It was one of those moments that exhibited the trust and faith between trainer and pokemon.

_Flame fang_ was what she had said.

Liam chuckled. Flame fang was not a single attack but two performed simultaneously. It looked like a combination of _fire fang_ and _flamethrower_. Aria was not limited by the restrictions of her pokemon and the four moves they could learn. Aria combined them to create an extensive arsenal. She probably had ways to combine each of the four attacks. He was certain Aria had the power to combine those attacks with her growlithe's _intimidate _ability.

Aria was passionate about pokemon whether they were hers or not. That was obvious. The way she battled was different than other trainers. It was unusual, even for someone like Liam so involved with the trainer world. The way she moved and connected with her pokemon, it was not like a trainer. It was like that of a-

Liam slowly lowered his glass. His eyes blazed with intrigue and curiosity. The way she battled . . .

It was like that of a Ranger.

Liam's smile burst with exhilaration despite his cool posture. Liam placed his glass on the table. The hot green and blue light of the fireworks washed over him again. One of Liam's attendants came over from the back.

"Sir?" the orderly quietly asked.

"I want you to get me everything you can on Aria Wicket," he said.

The orderly paused for only a second. He bowed lightly and turned away. Anticipation sprinkled down Liam's spine. He looked up into the display exploding and popping across the night sky.

A pokemon Ranger, here in this isolated mountain town.

If his assumption was correct, then coming all this way to Boulder was a better investment than he could have ever expected.


	11. Rolo and Lopo Arc: 1a

Rolo and Lopo Ark: 1

The following morning started earlier than usual. Aria was up before daybreak. She gathered her paperwork and was ready to send it to Mile City. She also took the general mail from the Con and drove down to Boulder in the company truck. She delivered them to the post office and returned home. Aria's parents were still away and it was up to her to keep the place running. First, she finished all of the essential tasks her parents normally dealt. An hour after sunrise, it was time to start her real job.

Aria was one of a handful of troopers that worked and maintained the conservation site. She performed routine forestry work while she was out on hikes around the mountain. She reported large disruptions like landslides or other natural occurrences. Aria made sure the forest was in its usual health. She kept track of wild pokemon populations and movement. It was specifically her job to patrol the borders of the reservation. Aria was the Con's number one defense against vagrants, poachers, and all manner of criminal vagabonds coming onto the site unannounced. She often dealt with them first hand. It was one of the reasons why Aria traveled with her pokemon already out at her side. Wild pokemon were rampant. Aria had to be prepared. The poachers required intimidation and the strength to follow through with their arrests. They often carried pokemon with them. Plus, if Aria was ever lost, hurt, or needed help while in the field, her pokemon were trained to assist, bring her home, or fetch help.

Aria's parents had few fears about her safety now that her pokemon had grown to be so reliable. They were also a great source of company. Aria spent long periods of time alone on the job roaming the mountain side. It was a quiet job. Wild pokemon sightings were the most exciting stories. It also required an enormous amount of physical activity and time to complete. The reservation was a mountain. Whether she hiked the border or inner core, it had to be done in sections. It took days of hiking to complete a whole survey of the Con. Aria handled it differently than the other troopers. Her parents had made adjustments to her duties when they realized that Aria had a talent for this line of work. Aria patrolled at dawn and could return any time between lunch and after dusk. It all depended on the weather, if she stopped to play with her pokemon, ran into trouble, or found something interesting. She took several breaks during the hikes but her parents did not mind. She always got the job done whether earlier or later. It was up to her if she wanted to finish and be home in time for dinner. With Aria on guard, the poacher sightings and disturbances were down to a record low. Even wild pokemon seemed to get in line now that she roamed the forest with her pokemon.

Aria's mother, Carol, was the face and money of the Con. If they ever need to communicate while Aria was in the field, Carol used her noctowl, Samantha, to deliver messages. She also used the owl pokemon to check up on Aria when her motherly instincts buzzed. Samuel, Aria's father, worked in the mine deeper in the mountains. He was in charge of the day workers and often dug as much as the others. The mine was just out of the Con's borders but still adhered to strict rules and regulations to preserve the state of the mountain. It was the cleanest and most efficient mine in the Valic Mountains and thus, carefully protected. Aria often made extra trips out there on request of her father or just to visit.

Aria finished her patrol of the day and started preparations for the next few days. She wanted to leave for Mile City as soon as possible. There was an official trooper station down the mountain. There were others who qualified for patrolling duty. When Aria was on duty, one normally stayed at the station. Two others were on call for maintenance jobs or if Aria had a situation. There were two replacements. Aria had to make sure someone took her place when she traveled to the capital. Unfortunately, most of the troopers were on half shifts and had taken holiday for the festival. She would have to wait until her parents returned and the holiday was over. Aria was somewhat glad to have an excuse not to go back into town. This year's festival did not draw her in like before.

The following day, her parents returned from their business. Aria stayed home to finalize her plans while they went down for the last day of the festival. Tomorrow, Aria would set of for River Wood. It was the closest city with a train station. It would take about half a day's hike to get there. From there, she would take the three hour train to the port town of Garden Cruise. And then from there, she would have to ride the ferry cruise liner to the capital and arrive in Mile City the next day. It was a lot of traveling. Aria was only too excited to get going.

The trooper was out of the door the next morning before sunrise. She kissed her parents goodbye and set off. Rolo and Lopo walked at her side. She had a backpack filled with a change of clothes, spare paperwork, and other things she would need including her wallet, phone, and snacks. The crunch of the gravel road tickled Aria's shoes. The three walked down the mountain and eventually came out onto the main road to the highway. Aria glanced to the town. Rides, booths, and decorations were being dismantled and packed away. Another successful, untroubled, festival had gone by. Aria sadly smiled before turning away.

Lopo nudged his trainer's leg. He could feel her heartache. Aria looked down. He stared at her before whining a little. Aria smiled. Leave it to her pokemon to tell her to stop moping. They did not blame her for Sebastian's predicament. They knew what had to be done, in past and for the future. The trooper focused on the road ahead. She took the lead full stride. Their journey officially began. The main road was the highway that led out of Boulder into the country. The forest thinned. The ground flattened. Open prairie soon spilled out before the three travelers. Aria watched the clouds drift across the sky, bugs hop across the road, and the mountain find shape along the skyline. Aria had to walk to River Wood. Neither of the family cars was available and carrying a bike onto a train and ferry were not always acceptable. She did not mind. Walking was her life. The grass swayed and danced alongside the road. The sun grew higher in the sky. Off to the left, the ranch farms passed by. A lone tauros snorted. Once in a while there was the slightest _tink_ of a miltank's bell. The most interesting sight was a herd of ponyta shifting around in a fence lined pasture. Their flaming manes danced as they rushed off after being spooked by the group's passing.

A world filled with traveling trainers meant that almost all roads were conducive to walking, with wide edges and flattened paths. This highway was rural and saw little foot traffic by trainers who would rather drive or take a bus. Cars were less frequent and sped by without hesitation. Aria did get one or two honks from drivers enthusiastic about trainers on a journey. For the most part, the going was quiet. It was like patrol only lazier. Another ponyta herd went by. On one of their breaks, Aria leaned up against the fence. She watched the herd graze and stamp their hooves. The trooper tried to coax one of the ponyta closer with a treat. Rolo walked the fence, sniffing the ground. Lopo sat at Aria's feet. He diligently watched her back. He was more strict and regulated than his brother. Rolo was carefree and easy going. They were a perfect balance. Lopo kept Rolo focused and reserved while the growlithe relaxed the houndor and let him enjoy himself more often. In terms of battle style, Lopo was like the military while Rolo was a militia. Both were effective only in different ways. One was better than the other in different situations but when put together harmoniously, they were unstoppable.

One ponyta succumbed to Aria's friendliness. She approached with less caution than usual. It did not take long before the fire horse pokemon was eating out of her hand. Aria managed to stroke the horse and let the flames on its neck roll over her fingers.

Back on the road, the land transitioned into wet alluvial plains. Streams of water fanned out from the mountains across the prairie. Much of this land was used for agriculture. Aria had watched the clouds gather over the morning. Now, they looked ready to bring rain. A downpour soon fell. The three ran under a patch of trees and took shelter. They waited out the downpour together. The fire canines were unafraid of the rain, although that did not make it any more pleasant. The skies cleared and their journey continued.

The fields were flooded on either side of the road. At a distance, it cast the illusion that they walked on water. The levees of the streams had broken. They filled the ditches along the road with water. It was deep enough that Aria let Styx float alongside them. He occasionally had to climb over a levee but because of the downpour, it was easy. The road traffic dwindled to nothing for over an hour. Aria's lunch break went undisturbed. She sat along the edge of the swollen ditch with a canine on each side and a tentacruel in front. Aria ate her sandwich and her pokemon their food. To save space and weight in her pack, Aria only brought one meal for each. She intended to buy more as they needed it. It was a necessary expense to avoid traveling with an extra burden.

Aria's back was to the sun. The meal was quiet. It was interrupted by several sharp thrills and sloshing water. It grew louder and was followed by far off shouting. Aria curiously turned to it. On the other side of the road, a large arbok was chased through the fields by three taillow. Arbok hissed and flinched in retreat. The three tiny swallow pokemon dove at his head. Two farmers loudly shouted encouragement from behind. Clearly, an arbok in your field was not a good thing. The cobra pokemon stopped in the ditch. He could not tolerate their harassment any longer. He rose up out of the water and snapped at the birds. He flicked his tail and sprayed them with water. The taillow scattered. Arbok took his chance to escape. He hurriedly slithered up onto the road. He froze in the middle. Just to the side, a few paces away, were Aria and her pokemon.

Both parties went rigid. They awkwardly stared at each other. It was as if they were both caught doing something suspicious. A moment of nostalgia passed between arbok and Aria before they were struck with enlightenment. They had met once before. Aria's eyes widened. Arbok puffed out his hood. Styx raised a tentacle in friendly acknowledgement. The three taillow returned and buzzed around the cobra's head. He was forced to turn his attention away. Arbok lashed out with his tail to wave away the bothersome flies. He batted them away. His victory went unnoticed when a weak pump of water squirted arbok in the face.

Bewildered, the cobra looked to Styx. The tentacruel raised his tentacle again. Aria choked on her food. Arbok bubbled with rage. His hood fanned out to full capacity. Arboks were not called the vengeful pokemon for nothing. Twice now, this tentacruel and human dare attack him. The cobra hissed. His lunge was again stopped when the three taillow recovered. They dove for his head in several pecks. With his hands already full, so to speak, Arbok thrashed at the three before continuing his retreat. He slid off into the flooded fields. He soon disappeared from sight. The two fire canines looked at each other before moving on from the incident. Rolo licked his foot. Lopo yawned. Aria looked to Styx. He sheepishly ducked his shadowed eyes under the water. She wiped her face. The trooper could not tell if the encounter was humorous or perplexing. It was probably a mix of both. Aria cleaned up and the group was on their way again. The land began to dry and Aria withdrew Styx into his great ball. They reached River Wood in the afternoon and went straight for the train station. Aria was somewhat familiar with the town. She visited several times before because of the train station. It was a hub for travel in this rural area. It was about the same size as Boulder but less isolated and historic.

Aria bought her ticket and was reminded that pokemon were not allowed on the platform. According to the schedule, the bullet train was on time. Aria had twenty minutes to kill before it arrived. She hovered around in the atrium with her canines until the train was seven minutes out. Several people glanced her way to look at Rolo and Lopo. Aria forgot that most people were not trainers. Unlike her hometown, they were unaccustomed to seeing pokemon outside of their balls when not engaged in battle or contests.

Aria was also reintroduced to all of the rules and regulations regarding the conduct of trainers and their pokemon. She received several judgmental stares and sneers now that she was back in the public's eye. Not everyone loved pokemon and respected trainers. There were just as many anti-battling and capturing groups as there were pro. It was severely uncomfortable to be under their gaze. It was nothing compared to what she received in the year behind her. Her journey was also too important for her to get distracted. Excitement pulsated through her again. She was going to get Sebastian released. Traveling on her own always made her feel like a real trainer. She did not do it often. It was like how a kid felt when their class went on a field trip to the museum.

An announcement over the intercom put a bounce in her step. Aria quickly ascended the stairs to the platform. Well behaved and controlled fire canines followed. It was only when they were at the top of the stairwell that Aria remembered to withdraw them. A few curious eyes watched. Aria put her boys safely on her belt before stepping up to watch the train arrive. The sleek and silver passenger train slid into the stain with the smoothness only powerful magnets could achieve. It hissed and whirred to a stop with minimal squeal and friction. It was slick and long like a dragonair. There was just enough elegance to make it fly across the track with the grace of a fish in the seas. The cabin doors opened to reveal ticket scanners. Aria adjusted her pack before stepping forward. With a beep and a 'welcome aboard the Silver Dragon' Aria stepped inside. She moved in a few cars before settling down in a less occupied and quiet car. It did not have a bar, television, or other luxuries, thus it kept other passengers away. Riding a train was enough pleasure for Aria. She raised the arm rest in the seat beside her and used her pack to claim the space. The woman stared out the window, waiting for the scenery to start rolling by.

"I had a feeling it was you," someone said.

Aria quickly turned around. A familiar face looked back to her. Raven leaned against the seats and stood in the aisle with a wide smile.

"Oh, Raven," she greeted. "Talk about a coincidence."

Aria almost did not recognize him. Aside from his deep purple hair, the musketeer wore casual clothes complete with a side bag and scarf. He looked so normal. His every friendly smile and theatrical mannerism stuck with him. Raven motioned in the direction of the platform.

"I thought I caught a glimpse of a growlithe and houndor on the platform."

Aria bashfully looked away with a guilty chuckle. She was the spitting image of a rural mountain girl, forgetting to return her pokemon like that. Raven cut through her anxiety with something she was comfortable with.

"Did you bring them along with you?"

Aria would have been more nervous if the topic had been anything besides her pokemon. She rolled into a smile. She shifted to expose the two pokeballs on her hip.

"Always," she said.

Raven smiled and nodded. A light blinked overhead and a voice came over the intercom. It announced that the train was getting ready to depart. One of the ticket scanners came down the aisle.

"Sir, if you could please take a seat," he said.

Before Raven could move, the orderly guided him into the group of four seats Aria was in. Once seated, travelers were not supposed to move. The musketeer sat diagonal from the woman.

Neither expected the company.


	12. Rolo and Lopo Arc: 1b

Raven held his bag in his lap. He chuckled nervously. He did not want to intrude or seem overbearing. It was out of his usual dramatic character but it made him all the more honest.

"Sorry," he said. "You would have had the whole section to yourself."

Aria shrugged with a smile. There was plenty of space between them and Raven seemed friendly enough.

"That's alright. There's plenty of space," she said. "Besides, we've met before. It would be different if it was somebody I didn't know."

This eased the musketeer's discomfort. His awkwardness lessened. He put his bag in the seat next to him and adjusted to get comfortable. Aria caught the flash of a pokemon belt slung loosely around his hips. It had been concealed by his jacket and shirt.

"I didn't know you were a trainer," Aria said.

She could see about three pokeballs, two were ultra balls. It told Aria a little more about his status. Raven looked down to his belt as if caught in the act of doing something embarrassing. He pulled his coat to look as if he had forgotten they were there. Another light and announcement went on. The train pulled and began to move. It gained speed quickly as if rolling down a hill. Aria's face brightened. She scooted to the window to watch. Raven carefully put his jacket back over his belt. He did not want anyone else to see if they did not have too.

"Yeah, I use them more for business though," Raven said to quietly continue Aria's statement.

He hoped it would not go any further. Raven changed the subject as a precautionary measure. An investigative flare filled his intentions again. He was amused by Aria's excitement.

"Is this your first time on the train?" He asked.

"No, but I don't travel very often so it's kind of exciting," she said. "It's a little childish, I know, but I can't help it. I guess it's that rural upbringing in me."

Aria smiled at the grass flowing past in a blur. The tree line steamed along in the distance. Raven wanted to smirk at her. It was rather adorable.

"I would have thought you traveled like this all the time. Do you do most of your journeying on foot?" he asked. "Normally new trainers start out on foot all enthusiastic until they realize how large the region is."

Aria sat back from the window. Journey? Aria had a mischievous look in her eyes. She always did when someone mistook her for an ace trainer. She was happy to misdirect them. It showed off her talents. Plus, it was always fun to surprise people innocently. It always made for good conversation. A lot of the time, it was too annoying and tedious to correct people all the time.

"To tell you the truth I'm not an ace," Aria confessed. "My pokemon are registered as workers."

"Really?" Raven questioned in disbelief.

Aria could see the surprise on his face despite his attempts to hide it. Technically, Aria was a pokemon trainer. Anyone who had a pokemon license was considered a trainer. It was easier that way. One could register to be a trainer at the age of ten. Once you registered and got your license you could legally carry and own pokemon and buy certain training supplies like pokegear. Every time a pokemon was caught it had to be registered into the National Dex System. Each ball was coded to one pokemon and that ball was attributed to the trainer.

When you registered a pokemon, you have to specify what type of trainer/pokemon relationship you intended to have. A pokemon could be registered for battling/contests, work, or domestic use. People tended to pull a little from each category. For instance, Aria's pokemon were for work because they helped her on the job with her patrols but she also battled every day. The different classifications were more for people to utilize things like laws, codes, rules, fees, and the like. A registered battler was considered to be an ace trainer either part of the circuit (for tournaments, the gym challenge, or both). Workers were seen and used on job sites. They could be attributed to companies as well as owners. They could receive compensation for claims and other legal obligations. Domestics were as they sounded. They were considered pet pokemon used for companionship. A pokemon's registration could be changed every three months depending on where life took them.

"That's very surprising," Raven said. "By the way you battled, I thought you were defiantly an Ace."

"I get that a lot," Aria said. "It's probably because my job involves a lot of battling so I'm stronger than people think.

Aria let out a satisfied smile. She looked out the window again as the train rushed along at full speed. Raven tried to think of pokemon jobs that required a lot of battling. The best he could come up with was the police. He could tell Aria was not a member of the force.

"What do you do?" he asked.

"My family owns and runs a protected section of the Valic Mountains. It's an official conservation site. You probably saw it at the festival and never even realized it," Aria said. "My mom takes care of the bookkeeping and stuff like that. I'm out in the field making sure everything is ok."

"So you're a park trooper."

"You could say that but I think of it in primitive ways."

"Like how?"

"Like I'm constantly defending my territory."

Aria's smile dipped in embarrassment. She was often teased for saying things like that. It was an opinion that gave insight into her true nature, thus exposing a deeper part of herself. Raven respected it. He was honored to have a glance at it. It was all fascinating.

"I like that, kind of like how a pokemon does it. But is it really that intense? I mean, I've heard that forestry is normally pretty quiet."

Aria sat up a little straighter. She gained confidence with rising pride. The mountain a mere forest? Ha!

"It would be if it was just a state park but my mountain isn't all cleaned and manicured like those gardens! It's a conservation site that runs alongside the free forest. The only reason it's not uncharted wilderness is because my family owns a large portion of the land. It's as wild as wild can get, even more so! There are a ton of precious resources on that mountain that need protecting."

"It attracts wild pokemon, sometimes they are seriously strong. Some know it's a safe spot and there are turf wars and heavy fighting for shifts in power. Have you ever seen a whole swarm of beedrill wage war on a troop of heracross only to be overrun by a pack of houndor that live on that side of the mountain? I've seen stuff you wouldn't believe! I have to avoid danger and be able to hold my own in case I get caught in it! And then, it's normally more than just one on one. I have to be ready to lay down the law. Quite literally, too. I have to make sure I'm stronger than the biggest meanest poachers out there because my figure isn't going to scare them off!"

Aria's passionate rambling came to an end.

"Oh, _haha_, sorry. I guess I got a little carried away."

Raven shook his head.

"Don't be. I can tell you love what you do. What about your father, is he involved with the reservation?"

"He is, considering he lives in it, and his wife and daughter work in it. But he actually works in the Talen Ore Mine a little father into the mountains."

Raven recognized the name. The mine was small and did not produce enormous quantities of resources but the quality of what they found and the ethics they used in their work made the mine a very sought after investment.

"I've heard of it. It has a high reputation."

Aria beamed with pride. Her father was just one of several overseers but she felt like he made a difference.

"But what about you," Aria said. "What do you do? You said your pokemon were more for work than battling."

"Well, I'm a bit of a wandering entrepreneur. I travel a lot selling various things, mostly my treats like you saw. Sometimes I'll get hired by a company to run mobile operations or spread the scope of a product."

"You must have traveled to a whole bunch of places, that's cool."

Something buzzed in Raven's pocket. He pulled out a phone from his jacket. He checked the screen before throwing Aria a guilty smile.

"Sorry, I have to take this."

Aria waved away the apology. Raven got up and moved into a different car for privacy. Aria's jitters left her. She looked around the car, content with the dull whirring of the magnets pulling the train along. Raven seemed good company. Without Rolo and Lopo, she would probably get bored and a little lonely. Talking helped ease the anxiety of the situation she was in. Aria had only been to the capital once and that was when she was a kid. She did not remember it. Garden Cruise was not as intimidating. She had visited within the past few years. But, it was still nerve racking traveling to unfamiliar places alone.

After a while, Raven returned. They made a little more vague small talk before they preoccupied themselves with their own activities. In the beginning, Raven got up often to use his phone. It was natural for his line of work. Eventually, it quieted. Aria glanced over to him. The musketeer leaned to the side with his headphones on. He used his jacket as pillow and slumped just enough to indicate he was trying to nap. Aria smiled. It was nice to know that he felt comfortable around her. She let her gaze linger. He was a rather handsome person and napping glorified it. She was glad to have met him. Aria followed his example and relaxed. No new passengers entered their car so Aria had no regret lying down across the seats. She used her book bag as a cushion and leaned on it. Aria took a quick nap listening to the lull of the train. She tended to nap during the day while on patrols. All of that walking took its toll. When she woke up, Raven must have gotten up and returned because he was in a different position. Only this time, his slump indicated that he had fallen asleep.

Aria ate a quick snack and lay across her bag again. This time she rested on her arms and looked out the window. The landscape changed as they grew closer to the coast. It whizzed by faster than before. Anticipation filled her again. She was coming closer and closer to her goal. Pokemon were not allowed out of their balls on the train. It did not matter for Sebastian. Aria glanced back and forth across the train. She pulled out the minimized black ball from her belt. She carefully snuggled it into the crook of her arm. She wanted to share her daydreaming. Aria watched the scenery with the ball against her cheek. She hoped that Sebastian could see.

Sometime later, Raven opened his eyes. He was surprised and unnerved that he had fallen asleep. He had not intended to do so. His moment of concern was brief when he sat up and saw Aria diagonal from him. The musketeer pulled off his headphones and fixed his slightly disheveled hair. Aria was too deep in her dreams to notice. Raven looked her over and then around. Everything was quiet. He started to put away his headphones but slowed when he noticed something unusual, or at least, uncommon. Hugged in Aria's arm was what looked like a pokeball. It was no regular pokeball. Something clamped it shut. It was a probation sphere, often called a black ball due to its nature. Raven was familiar with them. It was odd. People who carried them were often criminals. They used pokemon to their advantage. Aria hardly looked the part. Raven remembered he had caught a glimpse of it on her belt during the festival. That in itself was odd since most trainers with a probation ball kept it secret, out of sight, or even more often, cast it away along with the pokemon inside. Raven looked at it carefully. There was no mistake. It was a black ball alright.

It made sense when he thought about it. At the festival, Aria turned away from his glance when he noticed her status as a trainer. She also carried an envelope from the judicial office. It made Raven suspicious and cautious. Black balls were not handed out like warrants to criminals. They were not simple like handcuffs. They were serious business. Raven looked hard into it for answers.

What secrets lay within the pokemon inside that ball?

Strangely enough, the ball did not wield the same abhorrent judgments it usually did. The way the ball sat in the folds of Aria's shirt, pointed out towards the window, made it look small and fragile. Aria treated it as if it was the pokemon itself. It was peculiar. It made Raven want to know more. If he wanted information, he would have to tread lightly. If a mere glance made Aria uneasy then he would approach with caution. He would have to let Aria reveal the truth. It might take a long time for her to trust him enough. A few carefully placed questions and actions, however, could pick up the pace. Raven looked away. He gave a fake stretch to catch Aria's attention and looked to the other side of the cabin. Aria broke her gaze from the window as he stirred. She smiled but did not move too much to indicate her awkwardness at being caught heavily daydreaming and with her black ball to boot. Aria discreetly slipped the ball into her hand.

"It's a shame that they don't let small pokemon ride the train when it's quiet like this," Raven casually began.

He turned to Aria now that she had a chance to recover if she wanted to hide her secret. She did.

"I bet Rolo and . . . Lopo, would have like it."

"Yeah, they love trying new things and traveling," Aria said.

She sighed and sat up with her bag as if to adjust it. She stealthy hooked Sebastian's ball back on her belt in a movement so nonchalant Raven almost missed it. He realized the subject was too sensitive to address now.

"Probably because of their job," he added.

Aria wore a soft smile. It went deeper than most people would have noticed or understood. Raven could see from the subtle change in her body language, especially her eyes. He saw how much Aria loved her job, her pokemon, and her life with them. It pushed any suspicions he had of her being a criminal off of the table. He wanted to know more about it, her, and her connection with her pokemon. There was something about it that seemed different.

"From what I saw, they get along really well. They don't get jealous or upset with one another. That happens sometimes, especially with similar species and type, when they try to vie for their owner's attention."

"With my boys it's probably the exact opposite," Aria said. "When I go on patrol, I take all of them with me. We travel as a single unit. Their personalities fit together like peas in a pod."

Raven liked that. Aria enjoyed his interest. It was not often that someone talked to Aria about her pokemon like this, especially not in Boulder for the past year. A lot of the time, most questions asked were vague and mechanical. Aria hated answering those because it meant the person in question did not really care. It was like in college when a student is asked what they are going to do after they graduate. They were respectful questions meant to obtain a quick summary of who you are and what you are doing. If the answers are uninteresting (as they usually are) the information is lost and forgotten in a matter of hours. Aria was not asked to continue but she could tell Raven wanted to know more. If it was about her pokemon, she was always willing. The urge was even stronger when they were on her mind. Aria shifted into a more comfortable position to exchange stories.

"You see, my houndor, Lopo, he is a bit reserved. He likes rules, regulations, and order to the day. He's less rambunctious than Rolo and tends to be the boss in the partnership. Rolo is a lot more laid back and carefree. He gets into trouble because of his curiosity and outgoing nature."

"They sound like opposites."

"You would think they wouldn't get along but it's what makes them work so well together. Rolo brings Lopo out into the fight while Lopo plays tactician and keeps Rolo in check. In other words, they negate each other's weakness and enhance their strength, making them an unbeatable team!"

Aria unconsciously touched the pokeballs at her side. They warmed her fingers.

"Well, I'm honored to have met them, if only briefly," Raven said.

Met was a bit of a stretch. Lopo was rather protective the first time they encountered one another. Rolo was also a distant acquaintance through observance and Aria's story. She was a little hesitant to continue talking. Her conversation had dominated the conversation. Raven eased her worries.

"So is Lopo just as strong as his counterpart?" he asked.

"I think so," she said. "They both use different tactics sometimes but they are probably on equal ground. If anything, Lopo might be a little bit better due to his serious, down to business nature. He is more pack oriented so he wants to be able to take care of everyone. Rolo just wants to love everyone."

"That's a houndor for ya," Raven said.

All types of pokemon, although individual, shared common traits with their species. Loyalty to the pack/trainer was honored by both growlithes and houndors. The musketeer leaned against the arm rest. He put his head in his hand. They looked like two children bonding over secrets and storytelling underneath a blanket fort.

"If he's that strong then he must be ready to evolve then," Raven said.

"He probably could have evolved a long time ago," Aria mentioned. "I think he's holding back for Rolo. I got them around the same time so they were raised side by side. They are very close."

"Oh really? How did you get them? I know houndors are common in this region."

"They are, especially in the mountain. We actually have an established pack in the reservation. They've moved a little north, and come and go, but I run across them now and again. You can always hear them calling throughout the year."

"Is that how you got yours, from that pack?"

"Well, it could be that one, but I'm not exactly sure."

Raven raised an inquisitive eyebrow to pull her strong along. Aria was hesitant. She was dominating the conversation again and did not want to be rude.

"Look at me rambling on and on," she said. "Sorry, when I get into story mode I tend to take over."

Raven shook his head.

"This is much better than anything I have. Plus, you can't just stop the story when you are getting to the good part. You'll have to tell me how you got the both of them. Growlithes aren't found in this region so I'm curious how you got him. You're a good story teller. I'd love to hear more."

Aria debated it. She quickly gave in to his perfectly appropriate puppy dog eyes.

"Alright, I guess it would be alright. I'm sure they wouldn't mind me sharing."

The growlithe and houndor's official story began . . .


	13. Rolo and Lopo Arc: 2

_About Seven years ago_

Aria nonchalantly glanced across the street in the small mountain town of Boulder, Valenis. She stood outside of the post office and pretended to read a news paper from a stand outside the door. She did not want to two men across the street to notice her intrigue about their predicament. Aria recognized one of the men as Matthew Bingspree, a family friend. The other was some sort of delivery person.

"Well how the hell did it get in there?"

"Don't ask me, I didn't put it in there!"

"Well what am I supposed to do with it?"

"It's your problem now. I'm just the delivery guy."

"Just take it back with you."

"I can't do that!"

"Yes you can, I didn't ask for this."

"Look, I bring things to people, I don't take them back."

"But I can't take care of it."

There was an unpleasant exchange of an item between the delivery man and Matthew. Matthew was unwilling to take it but did not shove it away or drop the item in question. It was humorous for two grown men to act so childish and stubborn. There was a verbal game of hot potato. Aria tried to blend in. Her curiosity bubbled over. It was normal for her to pass through town after school so her presence would not be odd.

Aria's façade nearly shattered to pieces when the blanket covering the item slipped off and exposed it. There was no mistaking that texture and coloration. It was a pokemon egg. Aria had come across several in her adventures in the woods. Matthew yelled at the delivery man as he retreated into his truck and drove off before Matthew could stop him. Aria folded the paper and crossed the street toward Matthew. He was left on the sidewalk with his arms full of unexpected pokemon egg and his usual delivery in crates at his feet. Matthew was an older fellow with a happy disposition although he could be picky at times. Aria decided to offer her assistance. It was the least she could do after eavesdropping.

"Hey Mr. Bingspree," Aria called with a wave of her hand. "Do you need some help?"

Matthew seemed disoriented. He looked from Aria to the crates, disappearing truck, and egg several times.

"Oh, Aria, yes, please, if you would-just," he rambled.

The poor man was still trying to figure out what to do. Aria just smiled. She picked up one of the crates with a small glance to the egg. Matthew put the blanket back over it to keep it from getting a chill. It was an egg she had never seen before.

"Just put it in the back would you, with the others," he said. "You'll see them there to the side."

Matthew waved several fingers towards his store front. It was a homey place that smelled like scented candles and foggy mountain air. He led the way inside. Aria followed and turned off for the back. Matthew put the egg on the counter and called his wife over. Aria reentered and passed by to get another crate. Both Bingsprees' wore puzzled glances. Aria greeted the Mrs. who gave a distracted reply. She missed a double take from Mrs. Bingspree. Aria did not hear the whispered argument, suggestion, and agreement that occurred between the shopkeepers as she picked up the second crate with a grunt.

Aria felt like something happened in the room during the short time she had left. Mrs. Bingspree quickly scurried away when she stepped inside. The store also went quiet. Aria tried not to think too much of it. Aria set down the crate in the back and stepped into the open. She turned the corner and saw Matthew suspiciously leaning on the counter. He stood up when she came out.

"Thank you, Aria. An extra set of hands can make a real difference," he said.

His eyes fell down to the two pokeballs on her belt. There was a blue great ball and a pink love ball.

"I hope your pokemon are doing well."

Before Aria could say more than a yes, Matthew pressed further into the matter. Since they were on the topic of pokemon . . .

"So, have you been on the hunt for some new ones? You haven't added to your party in a really long time."

"Well," she started, "I'm always runn-,"

"That's terrible," Matthew interrupted. "I know how hard it can be and expensive, especially if you want to buy and there's not a lot of trades going on here in Boulder."

"It is tough but-,"

Matthew laughed heartily. He scooped up the blanket and pokemon egg in his arms.

"Well it's a good thing you came by today because I thought it's about time I repay you for all of the hard work you do for me and the Mrs. every year. And this cuts out all the hard work and wasted pokeballs."

Matthew walked over to Aria with the egg. Aria began to sweat. She raised her hands in protest. Matthew used them to hand over the egg. Aria fumbled with it a little as the blanket slipped. Matthew was only too happy to have it leave his hands. He stepped back.

"There ya go."

"Uh-Mr. Bingspree," Aria said. "I appreciate it but you don't have to give me anything. This is a bit much"

She never owned or raised a pokemon from an egg. She could feel that the one in her arms was already close to hatching. It rocked and bumped against the shell. It was just as nerve racking to her as it was to Matthew. Aria was not expecting to own another pokemon any time soon. The hesitant woman looked up to Matthew. The shopkeeper dropped his mask. He held his hands together in all seriousness and wore a gaze of desperation speckled with hope.

"Please, help me out Aria. My wife and I love pokemon but we're not trainers. We're too old to take care of a baby pokemon. We've got the shop to take care off. We don't have time to properly raise it or give it the attention it needs."

It was hard for Aria to speak. A thread of guilt and understanding pulled at her. She looked down to the flame colored egg in her hands.

"You're a good trainer. Everyone in town knows it. Just look at your tentacruel. He is so friendly and well behaved."

Now Matthew was building up her ego with sweet talk. Aria blushed. She kept her attention on the egg from embarrassment.

"I would have no worries if I left him in your care. I know you would raise him right. So please, Aria, will you take him?"

Aria held her breath in hesitation. Should she accept? Pokemon were a lot of work. She did not console with her parents either. The trainer within stirred. It had been a while since there was an addition to her team. She could handle another.

"Do you know what type of pokemon it is?" Aria asked.

Matthew brightened at her subtle consideration. It dimmed quickly with his ignorance.

"Actually, no," he admitted.

Matthew prayed that it was not the deciding factor for Aria's decline. It was actually the opposite. A surge of curiosity flooded over Aria. When a smile crossed her face, Matthew knew he had succeeded. The shop keeper ran off to the other side of the store. He grabbed something from a case and returned.

"Here, take this for when it hatches. It's the least I can do," he said.

The shop keeper held out a classic pokeball. It was not anything special but it was something. Matthew put it in the folds of the blanket so Aria would not lose it.

"Thanks Mr. Bingspree," Aria said.

"No, thank you," he corrected. "Make sure you come on by when it hatches. I'm curious to see whose inside."

"I will."

Aria nodded before heading out the door. When she returned home that day, her parents did not know what to say. She stood in the doorway with a guilty smile, egg, and pokeball. Samuel and Carol were flustered with the whole situation. They commented how it was wrong for Mr. Bingspree to exploit Aria and unload a burden on her. But, they did turn a curious eye to the egg. As they watched Aria tend to it, the more willing they became.

Aria had already captured and trained two pokemon. Styx and Sebastian finished evolving. Aria managed both with ease and all without a single gym badge. She did not need them to have her pokemon obey her commands. It was the love, trust, and training forged over time that gave her power and control. Aria also did well in school and did not get paid for her services to the reservation yet. They decided to let her keep it.

A week later, Aria emerged from the woods after a voluntary patrol through the forest. She entered the house to find Carol doing something in the kitchen. The woman looked to her with a smile.

"Out again?" she asked.

Aria sat down and rubbed her legs. They were tired from hiking.

"You know we pay people to watch out for trouble and patrol the forest."

"Yeah but nobody knows this forest better than me and Sebastian," Aria said. "Plus I have to stay updated. If I'm going to protect this place I have to stay on my toes."

Carol hid the pride she had in her daughter. Not every child wanted to follow in their parents footsteps. Aria grew up in these woods and wanted nothing more than to keep doing so.

"I'm going to have to start paying you. Don't you need to study or something?"

"It's the weekend. I have plenty of time. Plus a break now and then never hurt."

Carol smiled again. Aria was hard working but liked to move at her own pace with frequent breaks. It was easy for others to see her as lazy. The phone rang before Carol could comment. It was her husband.

"Oh, hello Sam . . . really? . . . sure, I'll ask her."

Aria watched. Something interesting had been exchanged. Carol put the phone to her bosom to address her.

"It seems that a pack of houndor tried to make a new den in the mine after that big storm. Your father and the miners are going to have to drive them off but they are having a hard time trying not to damage the mine or hurt the pokemon. He says we can come over and watch and bring your pokemon in case they need help."

Aria was already up and putting on her jacket. Carol put the phone back to her ear.

"Aria and I are on our way. We'll be there soon."

With a click and jingle of keys, mother and daughter were out the door. Aria and Carol drove the company truck up to the mine. Several of the workers were outside of the entrance in their casual day clothes. Many had left their working pokemon at home because it was a weekend meeting. They were hoping to do some prepping and inspecting before they reopened the mine. The car doors closed and Aria jogged over to her father. He looked a little blackened by some houndor fire but otherwise unhurt. Beside him was his golem, Francis. He looked tired. Samuel quickly greeted them.

"Hey, thanks for comin'. I thought you guys would want to see. It might affect the population on the reservation too, but mostly, we could use a little help."

Samuel motioned to the mouth of the tunnel that was purposefully cleared of miners.

"Most of the boys didn't bring their pokemon because it was a planning meeting. Good thing we did. We came in to check the tunnel and realized there was somethin' in it. I went to investigate and well . . .,"

Samuel motioned to his singed garments. Carol fussed over them. He calmed her down before continuing.

"It seems a pack of houndor were taking refuge in there for a while since we've been gone. They even have a houndoom leading them. I tried to scare them off but that 'doom was protective. Turns out she's got a new hatchling or two. I had to use Francis to help persuade her but she was tough and with three or four houndor with her, they pushed him back."

Samuel slapped his hand on the golem's shell a few times.

"I had to give him a hyper potion and send him back in. She was smart and took off with her pups when she realized we weren't going to leave her be."

Aria stepped to the side. She looked at the tunnel and a weary miner who stuck his head inside. There was a flash of fire. He retreated back out into the open.

"Mitch, get outta there! I told everyone to stay clear in case he runs out," Samuel shouted.

The miner waved apologetically.

"But as you can see, one of the pups got left behind in the confusion. He's real feisty and doesn't want to give up his hold."

"He must be really young," Aria said.

"That's why we're having trouble. We don't want to hurt him."

"The cave must be where he thinks the pack lives. He must be trying to protect it otherwise he would have gotten scared and tried to follow after the others."

Samuel laughed.

"That's my girl. I was hoping you could try your hand at getting him out. You're more of a trainer than any of us old men. Plus you have a woman's gentle touch. That may calm him down a bit."

Aria brimmed with excitement. Carol started to protest about the dangers.

"Mom, I can do this," Aria said. "He's just a hatchling. Plus, I deal with wild pokemon all the time. It will be a piece of cake."

Carol wanted to deny it but Aria was the best suited for the job. She nodded and Samuel squeezed his daughter's shoulder. Aria headed for the tunnel. She stopped in the entrance and turned on a flashlight. She caught a glimpse of something race around the corner. The lights flickered on along the walls beside her. Aria entered carefully. She moved slowly and kept her eyes on the corner. The woman whistled soft and low before she appeared so that she did not spook the canine. Aria went out of sight from those watching at the entrance. Two black ears flared up.

The houndor hesitated when she appeared. He watched the human carefully. The dark pokemon slunk into an alcove onto a pile of rubble. It was probably his favorite pile. Aria did not chase him. She continued her slow walk until she stood at the center of the alcove. She made no sounds and could not stop smiling. The houndor was just a hatchling. He was small with sleek black fur. It was still extra glossy and fluffy. His crest and back ridges were polished smooth with inexperience. They were more white than silver indicating he had yet to mature. None of that stopped him from acting any less of a houndor.

The canine growled from on top of his pile. His reddish underbelly and snout were deeply colored from the pale orange light of the tunnel. Aria held her ground before respectfully stepping back. She leaned up against the wall. The growling unconsciously stopped. When the houndor realized he had, he quickly started again. Aria took a deep breath and sighed to control the thrill of it all. Another minute or so went by and the houndor stopped growling. He cautiously glanced back and forth. He knew the humans wanted to chase him out but this one made no motion to do so. Aria knew better than to try. That would only add fuel to the fire. If she did manage to chase him out, he would only return when all of the workers were gone.

Aria had a different strategy in mind. She nonchalantly put a hand to her pokebelt. There were three balls empty and ready for use on the one side. One was the gift from Matthew. Aria hoped to capture the houndor, find his pack, and then release him. Aria pulled an empty ball loose and enlarged it. The houndor watched suspicious. A few voices echoed down from the entrance. It drew the houndor's attention. He had already associated them with attempts to drive him out. The quiet female on the wall took a back seat. He jumped off his pile in a miniscule spurt of flame. In the dim light, it had scared off the humans before.

Aria flattened against the wall. There was a wave of heat but it was not strong and was not aimed at her. The voices stopped. The houndor put on a smug face. He turned to climb back onto his pile. Aria saw her chance. She threw out a pokeball. It hit the houndor on his back. There was a bright flash of light and stream of energy. The houndor disappeared. The pokeball fell onto the pile and vibrated. Aria stiffened. It vibrated again. Aria held her breath. The pokeball vibrated a third time but before it sealed the ball broke apart. The houndor materialized onto the pile.

_Argh_! Almost had it!

The houndor erupted in growls and snarls. He whirled upon the cunning woman. Aria was already in motion and high on adrenaline. Her love ball was already in hand. Her eyes were narrowed into a trainer's gaze.

"Alright, Sebastian, go easy on him. He's just a pup," she said.

The love ball rumbled in her hand.


	14. Rolo and Lopo Arc: 3

Rolo and Lopo Ark: 3

Outside the mine, most of the workers debated what they thought would happen next. Samuel was at the ready in case Aria needed help. Carol was worried like any mother would be. Hatchling or not, it could still harm her daughter. She tried to keep her worries contained but failed when they heard barking. Those closest to the tunnel entrance moved away. There were sounds of fighting. It ended just as quickly as it started. Samuel and Carol looked at one another before rushing over to the entrance. Aria emerged upon their arrival. She smiled without a hair out of place. She raised a newly filled pokeball.

"Problem solved," she said.

Samuel laughed. Carol looked her over with praise. One or two of the men thanked her but Aria refused it. She was not very good at catching pokemon. She could not count how many failed attempts she had. It was all Sebastian's doing. Aria was happy with just catching a hatchling.

"But what are we going to do now?" Carol asked on the way home. "First an egg and now another addition to the family? At this rate, we are going to run out of room!"

"Don't worry," Aria laughed. "Tomorrow, I plan on finding his pack and releasing him. This was just the easiest way to get him out of there. He was so stubborn. You wouldn't believe it. I may need Samantha's help though."

Carol had no complaints. She listened to her daughter's story and the two returned home safely. The incident proved to be the most interesting portion of the day. For the rest of it, Aria stayed close to home with egg in hand. It shook profusely now. It was ready to hatch at any moment. By the time dinner rolled around, Aria's thoughts drifted to the houndor resting quietly on her belt. Did pokemon have to eat when in their balls? The researchers failed to explain that along with most of the technology behind pokeballs. It was a question Aria always debated since she was a kid. The woman figured it was better to play it safe than sorry.

Aria feed Sebastian and Styx in the backyard by the miniature pool that had been built above ground. It was made of cement and perfect for sitting, cleaning, and catching leaves. It was the perfect size for a tentacruel to float in. Aria sat on the edge of it with her head in her hand. Styx floated next to her with a curious eye. It was probably better to leave the houndor in his ball. The less contact he had with people, the easier his release would be. Styx could feel the dark pokemon's presence at her side. He wiggled a tentacle at it. Who was inside? He wanted to know the story. The tentacruel rubbed a few tentacles around Aria's back and waist to coax her into telling him. There was a human like element to the way pokemon thought and acted. Aria was too deep in thought to notice. She was used to Styx's clingy tendencies.

Was it a good idea to let him out?

Sebastian was on the front porch stalking the road with his gaze least any unwanted guest show up. If she let houndor out, he wouldn't even notice. Her parents were inside. Styx was out but he was confined to the pool and currently content. Styx became annoyed with Aria's lack of recognition. He lowered his tentacles. One pulled back exceptionally far. He jabbed Aria in the ribs. She straightened with a yelp before twisting on the culprit.

"_Oww_, geez Styx, what was that for?" Aria complained.

She rubbed the sore spot in her side. Her threshold for pain increased everyday with her pokemons' antics. Styx motioned at her hip and the newly filled pokeball. Aria grinned. She had forgotten to tell him about her day. Aria apologized and gave him a summary. By the end of it, she decided to let the houndor out to eat. Aria snuck a bowl from the kitchen, making sure neither her parents nor Sebastian would interfere. She also gave Styx strict instructions not to meddle. He agreed and was allowed to stay released. Aria took a few steps into the lawn for more space before unhooking the ball. She let out a tense breathe and enlarged it. Releasing a pokemon for the first time after you caught it was exhilarating. It was the first time they appeared as _your_ pokemon under your care and guidance. Aria had to remind herself that she was going to release him tomorrow.

The trooper threw out the ball to put some space between her and the energy stream. Houndor materialized. Aria caught the rebound as the pokeball slapped into her palm. The houndor faced Aria. He looked her straight in the eye. The trooper remained still and did not say anything. He glanced from one side to the other, taking in the new scenery. Coming out into a strange place was scary for people as much as pokemon. Luckily, the woods were not completely unfamiliar. Houndor sniffed the air. His gaze fell onto the woman in front of him again. Aria took a few steps forward. She had a bowl filled with food. Houndor remained motionless. The unease he had for the woman in the tunnel shifted into something he did not exactly understand. He felt that he could not, and for whatever reason, did not want to step away from her. He felt obligated to stay as if entranced or charmed. It was another phenomenon researchers had failed to explain.

Aria bent down and shook the bowl to indicate it was filled with something. She put it on the ground. The trooper had added a bit of grease from dinner for an enticing aroma. Human food would not hurt a pokemon. In fact, they ate the same things. Poke'food was just more nutritious, species specific, and cheaper. Aria back away and sat on the edge of the concrete pond. Houndor watched her retreat. He looked to the bowl. Whatever was inside smelled good and he had not eaten since yesterday. The dark pokemon approached. He looked into the bowl. When he realized it was food, he ate vigorously. Aria relished in the silent victory. She remained quiet and when he was finished decided to let him roam around. The houndor was curious of his new surroundings. He sniffed the grass and investigated the side of the house. He was a bit skittish but soon found all of these contraptions to be normal human things. He looked back to Aria. The woman just sat there watching him with a smile. The dark pokemon then noticed something moving around behind her. He crept closer until two shadowed eyes rose over the edge. Houndor flinched in surprise. It made Aria giggle. His ears perked up like in the tunnel. He lost all concentration and focused on her.

Houndor pulled his ears back. He tried to show how tough and cool he was. He casually approached the pool and jumped onto the wall. The dark pokemon pretended Aria was not there. He felt her tense in conflicted mindset now that he was so close. He gave her a sideways glance and kept his chin high. Houndor did not want her to think he was frightened, impressed, or curious. He didn't know why he felt that way.

Houndor shifted his focus onto the pokemon in the pool. Styx floated over to the edge. His large crest was like and iceberg sticking out of the water. Houndor had never seen a tentacruel before. He cautiously leaned forward. His neck craned to get closer without getting too close. Styx allowed houndor to sniff his crest. Aria tried to hide her smile. She was not supposed to interact but Styx was a different matter. The canine had come of his own free will. The dark pokemon flinched when Styx rose up to show his eyes. They looked at each other for a moment. Houndor would have raised an eyebrow in curiosity if he could. Styx interpreted things completely different. Without warning, Styx lightly wrapped his tentacles around the canine's waist and lifted him off the wall. He placed houndor on the top of his helmet and drifted away before Aria could respond. And indeed, she did.

"Styx!" she yelled.

The trooper jumped off the wall to her feet. Although supported by tentacles, houndor went wide eyed. He sprawled over the top of Styx's helm with claws outstretched in a panic. Styx twirled around. Houndor slipped over the smooth wet surface. His claws extended even further. Before Aria could shout again, Styx came back to the edge. He propped the ridge of his helmet on the wall and released his hold on the dark pokemon. Houndor wasted no time jumping off down to the grass. He took several steps away breathing heavily. His instinct told him to run for the woods. Something else told him to stop and turn back. He did. Aria withdrew houndor before anything else could happen. The ball clicked shut. Aria stood there for a moment, out of breath herself. She then whirled around.

"What did I tell you about that? You just scared the living daylights out of him!" she said.

Aria's sigh reverberated with frustration. She put her face in her hand. Somehow she was not surprised this happened. She should have known better than to trust Styx with such a menial task. He had unwavering loyalty and discipline in battle. Aria trusted him with her life. But it was these little things that his quirky personality could not comprehend.

"You've probably traumatized him."

Styx felt guilty for making her upset. He dipped his eyes below the surface and floated over to his trainer. With eyes still underwater, he sheepishly extended a few tentacles. He grabbed her pants and put one in the nearest pocket. He lightly pulled at them as if to say

"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to get upset (but secretly I know what I'm doing), so come swim with me?"

It was a classic tentacruel way of sucking up. Aria held onto her pants before too much of her underwear was exposed.

"What have I told you about that?" she said.

Aria minimized houndor's ball, looked at it one more time, and put it back on her belt. Styx returned all tentacles back under the water. Aria looked into the grass all the wiser. She turned to Styx and lazily fell onto his helmet in a hug. Disappointment and a twinge of sadness filled her. It was a feeling she had not experienced before. Maybe it was the connection between pokemon and trainer, and the thought of letting houndor go that pained her. Aria quickly shut her eyes and sat up. No, she could not think like that. She already had a pokemon egg, which had who knows what within it. Plus, she already decided to let him go. She did not want to keep him from his pack any longer than she had to. The trooper's determination fell back into place. She patted Styx on the helmet one last time before going inside.

Soon, the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. Night fell upon the woods in a soft blanket. The house was quiet. Midnight approached. Aria was fast asleep in her bed. Her dreams went unhindered until a noise came from the woods. It came again, louder and clearer than before. Aria opened her eyes. She knew that sound. She heard it several times before out in the woods. A howl split across the night air so loud that it sounded like it was right outside her window. It was the call of a houndoom and its pack. Aria threw off her covers. She leapt out of bed. The trooper grabbed her pokemon belt on the end table. She stumbled out of her room, almost running into the door in the process. Aria's heart raced. She intended to search the pack first thing in the morning and here they were coming to her door. Aria moved quickly and quietly through the house. She ran down the stairs and did not bother to turn on the lights. They would only blind her. It might even wake her parents, or worse, scare off the pack. Aria rushed to the window. She looked for the pack but they were not called the dark pokemon for nothing. The howling stopped as if they knew their comrade was stirring. Aria switched to another window. She caught a glimpse of two black forms sniffing around the yard. Flashes of silver crests gleamed in the starlight.

At the corner of the house, a sensor light clicked on. She saw the tail of a houndor scramble back into the woods. Aria shook with excitement. She pulled away from the window. She loved watching wild pokemon and an entire pack was right outside her door. Aria's common sense was left in the covers of her bed. She quickly unhooked houndor's ball from her belt. She unlocked the front door better than a burglar. The night air cooled her skin. Aria was too excited to bother with it. She slipped outside and rested the door in its frame for easy entry. The trooper could not see much as she stepped out onto the porch. The outline of the grass was clear but color had long since faded. The tree line was muddled with darker shadows. Aria's memory filled in the gaps. She stopped at the edge to listen for the pack. Something rustled in the woods close by. Aria turned to it. Nothing followed. She was sure the pack was still close. Houndor owned the night. They would not give up so easily.

Aria stepped off of the porch and onto the grass. She did not want to stay too close to the house in case the houndor were scared of it. They would be wary because they knew people were inside. It would be better to release Houndor in the open. She moved to the side of the house where she had seen movement. The porch light clicked off after several minutes of inactivity. A chill tickled Aria's spine. It left her goose bumps. She felt several sets of eyes follow her every step into the open area. The trooper tried to remain calm. She heard the dash of swift feet. A houndor lingered just out of sight. Aria stopped when she felt far enough from the house but still within her comfort zone. Running out into the woods was not a good idea. In fact, it was probably a poor decision to come outside in the first place. Aria held out houndor's ball. She heard a few soft whines from the woods. Her heart could have exploded. They were here. They could tell their brother was near.

_Alright, it's now or never. You friends have come to pick you up _Aria thought. _You're free to go. Good luck._

Aria pressed the release. A bright stream of red energy forced Aria to turn her eyes away. In the dead of night, the true form of the stream was seen. A ribbon of energy flowed to the ground like a ribbon of weightless liquid. It was flecked with silver. Black blended into the fiery shades of red that twirled within it. The colors grew more pronounced as the stream melded into the shape of a houndor. Black and silver completely covered his form before the red light was cast off in a strobe like glow. It faded in an instant to reveal a small houndor standing on the grass. It only took seconds to happen.

Aria then did something to the inside of the pokeball. She closed it and the release button sunk flat and whirred before the lock was broken. The pokeball was purged of its energy signature and was now useless. Houndor curiously looked around at the darkened surroundings. Familiar sounds and scents came to him. His heart quickened. This was his pack. He could see them clearly in the darkness at the edge of the wood. The houndors formed a semicircle a few feet in front of him. Aria saw the vague outlines and blobs of shadows appear. She could even see the feint grayish glow of their crests in the star light. They would not approach any further. Houndor's tail began to wag. Aria took a step back. He felt her pull away. Houndor turned an eye to her. He no longer felt an obligation to the human. There was a familiar lightness to his soul he had lost when released earlier in the day. It felt good. It felt familiar.

"Go on, you're released. Your pack is waiting," Aria whispered.

She could sense his confusion. Houndor looked to his family. He took a step forward. It felt strange. He was allowed to go, right? He wouldn't turn into energy again would he? Houndor was still a pup. He did not know what to do. Was this capturing thing normal? Something shifted in front of him. Aria and the hatchling looked up. A much larger pokemon stepped out of the darkness. Aria's breath left her quieter than the sigh of a ghost. Two steel grey horns formed out of starlight. The blackness of its coat was as smooth as the sky above. The houndoom's paws were silent as they touched the grass. The alpha, the leader, had shown itself.

Aria's pulse quicken with fear. She could feel it's _intimidate_. The coldness of the air suddenly sunk in. Aria felt naked and afraid. She was alone in the dark in her pajamas standing in front of a pack of wild pokemon. The houndoom had entered to ease the hatchling's indecision. She turned her eyes away from Aria when she felt she had successfully immobilized her. The alpha looked down to Houndor. The hatchling had tasted some of its alpha's ability when it swept over him to Aria. He regained himself when her gaze fell upon him. Aria's hand found its way to the love ball on her belt. She grabbed it tightly. She did not consider what would happen if the pack was angry at her for capturing one of their own. As if feeling the houndoom's ability through Aria's fingertips, Sebastian's ball trembled. Not in fear but rage for Aria's discomfort.

How dare another pokemon threaten her?

Aria held it tighter to prevent Sebastian from coming out of his own will. It helped soothe her nerves and remain calm. The dark pokemon's ability was starting to wear off. The hatchling took a few steps forward to the pack. He abruptly stopped and turned to Aria. She really had released him of his obligation. He no longer felt an unrelenting pressure to obey her. But the feeling of curiosity around her did not leave. Aria gave him a gentle smile. The hatchling was conflicted. There she was, just like in the cave and at the fountain, staring at him for no reason he could come up with. She looked cold. Her arms were hugged to her chest. She wore nothing but a tank top and shorts. She was alone out on the lawn with no other humans. She looked so out of place. She looked scared. Houndor looked to Houndoom. She had a much different air.

Houndoom was exciting, powerful, protective, beautiful, and loving. She already had everything she needed. Houndor looked Aria straight in the eye. The woman was surprised. He then trotted over to her feet. His fellow pokemon already had an alpha. This woman, he wanted to make her the same way: warm, powerful, beautiful, and happy. She needed a pack. Aria did not know what to do. The houndoom did. She could see it in her hatchling's eyes. He had found his way home already. The large canine looked to Aria before she simply turned and left. Several other houndors followed. They disappeared into the night.

Aria watched the forest line after they left. She then looked to the hatchling sitting on her feet looking up at her. Her heart burst. Aria fell to her knees. She pulled the pokemon close and hugged him. The houndor felt it again, the pressure on him after being captured. Aria scooped the houndor in her arms. She carried him back into the house with dangling legs. The trooper put him on the floor before walking across the house. Houndor felt the need to follow her. They went up the stairs together. Aria waited just inside the door to her room. She was too excited to go back to sleep. There was so much she wanted to show the little houndor, all the people she needed to introduce him to, all the changes she would have to make now that he was hers. In her thoughts, Aria became aware of a steady clacking in her room. She looked around for its source. Houndor perked up his ears. There was a large popping crack that sound like- Aria's heart jumped- like the sound of an egg cracking.

Aria leapt to her dresser. She flicked on the lamp. On the desk, in a bed of blankets, the poke'egg rocked back and forth. Flecks of the shell scattered the blankets. Several cracks zigzagged across the surface. Aria took up the blanket and egg and moved to the floor. She did not want the hatchling tumbling to the ground. Something punched through the shell. A small burst of flame came out of the opening as the pokemon inside cleaned his coat with fire. Houndor jumped onto the blankets. He could hear subtle whines from within. He used Aria's thigh as a platform. Four paws broke through. They demolished the rest of the shell. A fluffy and furry growlithe rolled out onto the blanket. Aria squealed. Houndor jumped from her leg. He raced over to the little puppy only a little smaller than himself. The growlithe cried several times before winking open his eyes. He kicked up his legs. Houndor went into a sniffing frenzy. Aria reached into the remnants of the egg. She stroked him with soothing coos. The growlithe clamed. He blinked several times to strengthen his eyes. He coughed up miniscule boughs of flame mostly smothered in smoke.

Houndor got a face full of one and retreated to Aria's lap barking loudly. Aria tried to shush him. She failed and ended up laughing. Growlithe was resilient and quick to move like most baby pokemon. He stumbled out of the egg remnants. He rolled in the folds of the blankets emitting the cutest noises Aria had ever heard. The trooper's heart swelled. It took a moment for Growlithe to find his footing. He fell over several times, always ending up in some sort of roll. Houndor jumped into the spectacle. He couldn't let this pokemon struggle. Houndor tried to lasso and coral Growlithe towards Aria but being a puppy himself, was often rolled over on. It was the cutest thing in existence. Aria suddenly sucked in her breath. She had it. The trooper picked up Growlithe. She held him up to her face. He stopped crying and looked at her with starry eyes.

"Rolo," she said.

She looked down to Houndor.

"And Lopo. It's perfect."

There was subsequent wagging of tails. Samuel and Carol suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"What's going on in here?" Carol said.

She wiped away her drowsiness. Aria was on the floor with two hatchlings.

"Look at that!" Samuel shouted.

He waved at the growlithe. A squeal followed from Carol. They rushed to Aria's side.

None of them expected the night to end the way it did.


	15. Rolo and Lopo Arc: 4

Rolo and Lopo Ark: 4

Aria smiled as she looked out the train window. She let her voice grow quiet. Her story was finished. Telling it was more fun than she thought. She looked to Raven. He wore a smile that matched hers. The musketeer chuckled.

"Getting two hatchlings on the same day, it makes a great story," he said.

"If you think about it, it probably isn't normal. Unless you're a breeder," Aria said with a shrug.

It seemed that Aria led a rather eventful life when it came to pokemon. It made Raven's curiosity wander to the other two pokeballs on her belt. They would have to wait for another time. An announcement came over the intercom. The train was going to arrive at the station in a few minutes. Passengers were asked to prepare. A more solid form of companionship formed between the two trainers. Raven yawned and stretched his back. Taking naps and sharing pokemon origin stories did more than just break the ice. It provided a comfort between trainers. Aria put her bag in her lap. She was reluctant to gather her things. The trooper had taken up so much time with her story that she did not give Raven the chance to tell his. And now, time was running out. She tried to complete the exchange as much as possible before arrival.

"So what about you," Aria inquired. "What kind of stories do you have? Is Typhlosion Treats just a company inspired by flare or is it based off a pokemon?"

Raven lowered his arms. When one told an origin story it was unofficial custom to return the favor. Raven was impressed with Aria's investigative skills.

"Pokemon," he said.

The musketeer tapped the belt hidden under his clothes. Aria waited for him to continue but the musketeer only awkwardly smiled. He was hesitant to talk about his pokemon. Aria was too reserved to push. If he did not want to say anymore, she would not force him. Her curiosity was left to the imagination. The kind of pokemon one carried said a lot about the trainer. Sometimes trainers did not like to reveal their entire party in case a battle was potentially close at hand. It's not like Aria explained the other two pokeballs at her side either.

"He must be strong to be in his third evolution," she decided to say. "Tell him I said 'hi' next time you bring him out."

One of the attendants passed by. Passengers started to move. The train began to slow. Raven looked away with a weak smile. His eyes drifted past the floor into Aria's implication that he let out his pokemon more often than not. There was a darkness in his gaze that Aria missed. What she did notice was his expression. It revealed a deeper part of his personality, even if she did not know what it was. It made the musketeer's theatrical expressions feel like a cover for him to hide behind. It was the most honest expression she had seen from him. It was not long before a chime went off. The doors opened with a prompt-"Gate 47, Garden Cruise. Thank you for riding the Silver Dragon." Raven and Aria stepped onto the platform. They wriggled through the rush of pedestrian traffic and found their way to the main atrium. Aria looked up and around. It was much larger, complex, and elaborate than the one at River Wood. She was a little overwhelmed. It had been a long time since she visited. They made changes since then. Luckily, Raven was familiar with the station.

"So where are you off to? Maybe I can give you some advice," he said. His prodding was perfectly blended into casual conversation.

"I've got some papers I have to deliver for the Con. Normally you have to sign some stuff afterwards so you have to go in person," Aria said.

She did not like to lie but she did not want to broadcast her affairs. Raven nodded. He adjusted the strap to his bag.

"Sounds like you know what you're doing. Good. I wouldn't want you to get lost. I know you're the wilderness type, living in the mountains and all," Raven teased.

Aria gave him a sarcastic yet friendly smirk.

"Don't worry, I think I'll be able to handle myself," she said with a confident sway of her hip. "What about you? What are you going to do in the lovely coastal city of Garden Cruise?"

"Just business as usual. I'm an entrepreneur, I follow the money."

Aria chuckled. They stepped outside the station entrance. Looking out into the cityscape showed why it was one of the most popular cities in the region. They both took a quiet second to admire it: Garden Cruise was a pleasant city. Its main income was tourism so it was kept up rather well. Aria turned her head to several skyscrapers. It was a modern city that prided itself on its physical attractiveness. There were many small areas of vegetation for beautification purposes. It was filled with more attractions than office buildings. There was an aquarium, botanical garden, grand movie theater, a coliseum for battling and contests, boardwalk, beach lines, amusement park rides, and a pokemon gym. The city was longer than it was wide to expand their beach properties for hotels and restaurants. The train station was in the center. It created a central hub that made the city look like a lazy eye from above. Garden Cruise was the eye of the coast, ever watchful of the capital city (as the city commission liked to advertise).

"Here," Rave said as he pulled something out of his bag. "I picked it up on the way out, just in case."

He pulled out a map of Garden Cruise and handed it to Aria. She took it with thanks. With a quick thought, she pulled her bag around and took out a pen. The trooper wrote something at the bottom of the map and tore off a small strip.

"Here, I don't have pokegear but a cell phone is just as good," she said. "Let me know if you're ever passing through Boulder again. Maybe I'll show you the reservation if you're interested."

Raven took the paper.

"I will," he said.

They both smiled before saying goodbye. They parted separate ways. After the long train ride, Aria was ready to stretch her legs. She would have liked to visit many of the attractions and popular hot spots but she was in a hurry. The trooper was going to take the S.S. Surf across the strait to Silver Wing Island where the capital was. The cruise ship would depart in two hours at sunset. It was meant to capture the sunset and the playful glow of the boardwalk across the water. Aria wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to get a ticket. It would take her about an hour to walk across the city at a good pace. The city recommended trainers keep their pokemon withdrawn while in the city. There were a few wild city pokemon here or there. Once in a while she saw one with a trainer. They really only enforced the law at busier or more crowded times, especially if the pokemon was too large, heavy, or unruly. Aria kept hers withdrawn. She was nervous and did not want to cause trouble. They also might be overwhelmed with the new environment. They were the rural type just like their trainer. Aria successfully navigated the city. She grew closer and closer to the marina.

Aria took a break to rest her legs and make sure she was going the right direction. She set her bag on a bench in a beautification area. She pulled out the map Raven had given her. Aria unfolded it and held it out, trying to figure out her location and the marina's. It made her look like a tourist. Technically, she was but Aria tried not to be too self conscious about it. She saw plenty of people worse than her. Unfortunately, it put a target on her back. Aria stumbled forward as a man ran into her. He did not stop and swiped her book bag without missing a step.

"Hey!" Aria shouted.

The thief took off down the road. Aria did not hesitate to run after him. Everything she brought with her was in that bag: her wallet, money, clothes, and most importantly, Sebastian's release information and her pokemon license. There was no way in hell she was losing that.

Aria jumped over bushes and cut through the streets after him. She ran through traffic and crowds. Her eyes were glued to the back of the man who robbed her. She was quicker but he was more agile. She could tell by the way he bobbed and weaved that it was routine handling. But chasing a human was nothing compared to chasing a wild pokemon. Aria was not going to let him get away with it. Her suspicions of a criminal background were true. The man followed a dangerous but routine path through a stretch of the city. It put every obstacle and diversion between him and his victim in case they, or the police, tried to follow. He used every trick in the book. The thief smiled to himself. He did not have to look back to know he lost the woman. Her shout had faded long ago. There were no heavy steps echoing behind or shouts from the crowds as they rushed through. There was no stumbling of a pursuer through his carefully planned gimmicks. The thief was too arrogant to look behind him and see the trooper in hot pursuit. Her feet were nimble. Quick thinking allowed her to sneak up on even the weariest of pokemon. The man turned into an alley. His snicker indicated victory. His home base was just around the corner. It was in the middle of the narrow passage. The alcove opened up into the back of several shops. It was an alley in an alley. A book bag was a good snag, especially since he only did it for fun.

Aria's shadow slid in front of the alley behind him. Her glare dangerously pierced the thief's back. He had no idea what he was up against. A red and white pokeball was unfastened and enlarged in Aria's hand. The throw of the pokeball was as graceful as a ballet performance.

"Hunt," Aria snarled in a flash of energy.

It was a command meant for exactly this type of situation: stop the target (human or pokemon) and prevent it from escaping. Lopo materialized in mid run. He was well aware of the situation as if he had seen it through Aria's eyes. Aria took off after the houndor. Lopo sprinted for the man in front of him. His eyes narrowed. He bared his teeth. The gap closed.

Two men loitered in the back alley around a stack of crates and empty garbage cans. They reeked of ill thoughts and shady business. Stan, the grunt, sat on a crate smoking. He blew a stream from his mouth. His goon of a partner, Rick, lit his own. They heard something from the alley. It sounded like one of their friends coming in from a fast score. It was probably Harris. He always liked to come in hot and he always brought home something good. Stan and Rick looked up. Harris jogged into view. He grinned and had a back pack that clearly was not his. Before he could stop, his victory was cut short. A mirage blurred into existence in front of him. It took the shape of a houndor. Lopo leapt out of nothing in a snarl. His crested head ran straight into Harris' chest. The thief was caught completely unaware and unprepared. The _feint attack_ knocked the wind clear out of him. Harris' feet flew out from underneath him. He fell to his back, breathless. The cigarette dropped from Stan's lips. It looked like Harris was clotheslined by a sack of bricks.

Lopo landed on his feet. He wore a glare of utter disgust and satisfaction. Seconds later, the speechless grunts watched Aria jog into view. She slowed to a stop at Harris' side only a little winded. Harris curled up to his chest. He gasped and coughed. Aria pushed away his arms and took her bag from him as if it had fallen into a pile of garbage. There was not a trace of sympathy in her stare.

"I hope that leaves a bruise," she spat.

Aria checked her bag for any damage. The initial shock of the incident wore off. Rick clenched his teeth over his cigarette. He threw it to the ground with a flick of his wrist. He slapped Stan in the chest to wake him up. The two exchanged dangerous glances. They couldn't let this random woman attack their friend and get away with it. This side of town was their territory. They weren't about to let some floozy tourist mess up their scheme. Stan jumped off the box. The two grunts walked toward Aria and Harris.

"What the hell do you think you're doin' lady?" Rick said.

He pulled back his shoulders and rested a hand on the belt around his waist. Aria stiffened. She looked up at the men. These were not nice people. Bad intentions poured from them.

"Don't you know it's against the law to attack someone with your pokemon?"

Rick strode out of the side alley into the main one. Aria tightened the grip on her bag. She threw it over her shoulder. Lopo felt the tension. He glanced between the two men as they separated. Aria faced Rick. Lopo kept his eyes on Stan. He growled. Aria stepped away from Harris.

"Hey, this guy stole my bag. I'm just getting it back," Aria said.

"That's not what it looked like to me," Rick sneered. "From what I saw, you were stealing from him."

Things escalated quickly. Aria had stumbled into the company of some shady characters. Wild pokemon, no problem. People, that was another story. Aria needed to get out of the alley.

"Look, I'm not trying to start anything. I got my bag. I have no business with you," she said. "I'm sorry about your friend but he got what was coming."

Aria could protect herself but recklessly using her pokemon against people was never in her favor. She learned that from experience. She could not afford to stir up trouble, not with Sebastian's probation on the line. Lopo's growl intensified. His instincts kicked in. He was ready to protect his trainer. Aria turned around to escape. Stan blocked the exit. She turned back to Rick. Both grunts smiled to each other. They had her trapped. Aria was just a scared young woman in an unknown city. Rick unhooked a pokeball that had been painted to make it less noticeable. His partner did the same.

"I think it's too late for apologizes," Rick said.

He threw out his pokeball. A flash of red energy revealed a koffing. It drummed out a puff of gas. Aria heard its echo behind her. It was two versus one. The trooper took a controlled breath. Her fear lessened. Now that pokemon were involved, the situation changed.

"Lopo," Aria called.

The houndor jumped in front of her to face Rick. His growling silenced with serious obedience. Aria focused him for battle. She harnessed his protective instincts. The grunts saw her reach for another ball. Their commands threw their pokemon into action. Stan's koffing made a loud steam horn like noise. It threw Aria off guard. Rick's koffing went in for a _tackle_. Lopo ran forward at the ready but the koffing soared straight over him. Lopo's eyes widened. He skidded to a stop.

They were aiming for Aria!

Koffing shot for the trooper like a bullet. Aria raised her arms. It tackled into her. She stumbled back and lost her footing over debris in the ally. She fell onto her back underneath Stan's koffing. The purple misshapen pokemon's eyes looked down to her. It wheezed. Plumes of noxious gas poured from its spouts. The heavy gas flowed down onto her. She was bathed in it. Aria turned her head away and closed her eyes. It filled her lungs. She began to cough. The trooper tried to stifle it and hold her breath as it passed over. She did not expect them to target her so fiercely. Stan was so preoccupied watching that he failed to notice Lopo turn on his heels. The houndor sprinted for his master. He snarled in rage. He spat out a _flamethrower_. It roared over his trainer. The gas dissipated in the heat. Lopo pounced up at the koffing. His body blurred and disappeared in another _feint attack_. He reappeared against the wall and used it as a base for his jump. Lopo struck. A puff of yellow smoke was all that was left of the koffing. It bounced off the brick wall straight into Stan's face. It knocked him off his feet in a spray of blood from a broken nose. By the time they hit the ground both had feinted.

Aria got to her knees. Her eyes watered and burned. She was momentarily blinded but had her cough under control. Lopo nudged her. She shakily stood to her feet. Even with Stan on the ground, dazed and disoriented, Rick was not worried. There was no way Aria had escaped the poisonous gas. Her coughing proved it. She had taken a full dose. Taking out the trainer before the pokemon ensured many victories for the grunt. Most pokemon were relatively helpless without orders from their trainer once they were engaged in a battle. Rick's smile pulled into a frown as Aria stood. She was a little shaky at first but stabilized. She opened one eye through the hair dangling from her face. A cold wind washed over Rick. Because of the way she stood, Aria was shadowed in the alley. The light came in from behind her. The trooper's gaze turned into a leer. Her presence grew. The alley shrunk. Rick swallowed hard. It felt like a pokemon's _intimidate_. Aria's breathing calmed. She opened both eyes. The tears flowed freely. She could not afford to keep them closed, not when these grunts intended to come after her.

Such dirty tricks, it made Aria sick to her stomach. Rick started to sweat. She was doused with poison. How could she still stand?

"You picked the wrong person to ambush," Aria whispered.

Little did the grunts know that Aria's tolerance for poison was almost super human. For fifteen years, she was poisoned day in and day out by Styx. His tentacles were coated with the stuff and even when not in use, residual poison still lingered. When she was young, Styx poisoned her every time they played, trained, or swam whether on purpose or by accident. The first few years were rough but Aria gradually built up a tolerance. Soon, she was tolerant to all types of poison. The stronger Styx and his toxicity became the easier it was to handle. There was no way Aria would be poisoned by an attack of such weak caliber. Aria still got nauseous or dizzy to a certain degree but only a direct hit from a pokemon as strong as Styx would leave her bedridden and fighting for her life.

Aria had no doubt that these grunts would have left her on the street had she been poisoned. If left unattended something like that could kill a person. The fury in Aria's blood instinctually put a hand to her hip. She touched Sebastian's pokeball. But it was the one on her right that she unfastened. Rick shook away his nerves and threw out two more pokeballs. A zubat and rattata entered the field. He had more but he would not be able to control them all if they were out at the same time. Aria stifled another cough. She released Rolo. He materialized next to his brother. They turned to Rick in a series of deadly growls. Lopo dug his claws in the ground. He barked, begging Aria to give the go ahead. Rolo dipped low to the ground. His sharp fangs were bared. His fur bristled. His tail flickered like a bonfire. Another wave of _intimidation_ rushed over Rick and his pokemon. Aria calmed. She slowly straightened. Her eyes locked onto Rick. He could hardly keep her gaze without shaking. The alley tensed like taunt wire.

"Light'em up," Aria commanded.

Lopo and Rolo opened their jaws in torrents of flame. From the street, light flashed out of the alley. Roaring flames deafened the cries within. A few people walking close by stopped. The moment passed before they could figure out what happened. The battle was over in seconds. The alley was blackened. Bits of trash smoldered along the sides. Rick was on the ground next to a party of feinted pokemon. He was a little singed but it was nothing serious. His eyes were wide. He looked up to the growlithe and houndor. They stood side by side proudly and confidently. Aria bent down behind them. She picked up her bag, brushed off some ashes, and put it on. The trooper wiped her face clean with her shirt. She glanced over to Rick in a mock gesture of forgetfulness. She had nothing to say to the grunt. She grinned at his expression and turned away. The trooper sharply whistled and stepped over Stan as he regained consciousness. Her canines followed. Rolo jumped over the fallen koffing. Lopo stepped on Stan. The grunt sat up with a hand to his bloody face. He watched Aria leave, unsure if it was the same woman from before. He looked back down the alley to see what had happened.

Rick received a look of stupidity from him. The grunt clenched his teeth. He threw some trash at Stan to get him to stop wearing that dazed expression. He did not need to be reminded how terribly they were beaten. The grunts collected their feinted pokemon. They helped Harris up and scrambled out of the alley before the cops could arrive.


	16. SS Surf Arc: 1

S.S. Surf Ark: 1

Rolo and Lopo trotted along at Aria's side. She should have listened to her instinct. It was always better to walk with pokemon whether on patrol in the woods or through the city streets. Despite the detour, Aria would still make it to the cruise on time. The thief had brought her down her intended direction. She was only minutes from the marina now. The trooper had no intention of going to the police. She got her bag back and was not hurt. She would not risk her and Sebastian's patrol for something they could not do anything about anyway. The grunts were probably already gone. The fire canines pranced at her side like show dogs. They were only too confident and proud to defend their trainer. They were ready to take on anyone who even looked at their trainer funny. No one on the street said anything to them. Aria couldn't care less if they did. Aria made it to the marina and bought her ticket. The exhilaration from the battle had faded. The sun dipped low and Aria wanted nothing more than to sit down and relax. She still had some time before the S.S. Surf would start boarding. Aria planned to do nothing but sit on the dock. Today was stressful, tiring, and dotted with surprise.

Aria dangled her legs over the end of the dock. She released a pleasurable sigh. Her socks and shoes were neatly beside her. She knew better than to leave them on in such circumstances. The trooper leaned forward. She looked down to the water and the tentacruel hovering around the tip of her toes. Styx floated lazily underneath her. Aria always liked letting him out in the salty water of the ocean. Tentacruel could live in both fresh and salt water but something was exceptionally natural about jellyfish pokemon floating around in the surf.

Styx enjoyed it. It was nostalgic. The rolling surf of the ocean sliding through the strait rocked him like a baby. Aria looked around the marina. She glanced up and down the coastline. Across the straight, she could barely see the skyline of Mile City. In reality, the ferry only needed a short few hours to get across. The S.S. Surf was a pleasure cruise. In a tourist city, they somehow managed to turn it into a whole night affair. They would leave at sunset and arrive early the next morning. The S.S. Surf had a monopoly on passage across the strait. Sure, there were smaller ferries that you could get you there faster and cheaper but they did not always follow code. Plus, the waters of the sea were dangerous. Surfing pokemon could easily get lost on a bad day. There were other ferries outside of Garden Cruise but they were further down the coast.

Aria lightly swung her feet back and forth. She did not mind. It was defiantly the most comfortable way to Mile City, intended for big spenders. She saved up her money exactly for this reason. It was a well deserved reward for all of her hard work and patience. And on the way back, she would have Sebastian. Aria smiled. That made it all worth it. Her swinging legs caught Styx's attention. He lifted his helmet to look at her. He then lowered it and raised a few tentacles to her feet. The jellyfish pokemon grabbed them and bent them back and forth. He swung her legs for her. Aria chuckled. He was a homebody just like the others. Styx explored the dock when he was first released. He poked at staryu and scared krabby. The tentacruel periodically returned to float in Aria's vicinity before finding something to go off and inspect. Above water, he stayed in earshot. Below, he did not let the sound of Aria's splashing feet disappear. Once while he was wandering, a school of remoraid took interest in Aria's dangling feet. They were too close for comfort. Styx scared them all away. After that, he enjoyed the waves close to Aria.

Rolo and Lopo also explored a little but quickly gave up their curiosity over salty wood because of today's event in the alley. Rolo lay on his side, soaking in the sun close by. Lopo put his head in Aria's lap to hide in her shadow. Aria stroked his head and listened to the wingull floating in the sky above. A breeze came off of the water and carried the scent of the salty sea. The horn of the S.S. Surf went off. Passengers could now board. The noise startled Rolo. He sat up with a bark infused snort. Aria stretched and aroused her pokemon. She withdrew Styx and headed for the small cruise liner. At the loading dock, she withdrew her canines and boarded without any trouble. Cast off was in thirty minutes and dinner would be served at seven. There were snack stands, a bar, theater room, dining hall, and other such luxuries. Aria took a pamphlet from a stewardess and was informed of an optional orientation. Aria chose to find her room on her own. It was a comfortable space. It was a little cramped but with fine commodities worth of a five star hotel. No more than two pokemon less than 50 lbs were allowed out of their balls in personal rooms but were required to stay withdrawn anywhere else.

After settling in, Aria explored the cruise liner. She lingered on deck to watch the sunset. It was a striking display of deep oranges and yellows. They fused into shades of purple and extended into the blues of encroaching night. All of the hype was not just for show. The trooper retired to her room without indulging in the cruise's comforts. She did not have that kind of money. She was also tired. Aria ordered room service instead of dining in the hall with the other passengers. She ate on the floor while Lopo and Rolo ate their meals served in fancy little bowls with the cruise name printed on it. It was not long afterwards that Aria realized full bellies combined with the rocking of the ship did not bode well for the fire canines. Rolo had it the worst. Aria withdrew them to prevent any more discomfort or incidents. She then pulled out a book. Her eyes started to droop within thirty minutes of opening it. She was sound asleep within the hour when the stars were just beginning to appear. Aria dreamed deeply. But the soft sway of the boat did not last forever.

Aria's dreams were disrupted. She was unsure of her senses as they slowly came back to life. Had she heard something, felt something? Whatever it was, it had been odd enough to wake her. Still half asleep, Aria slowly opened an eye. The lights had automatically turned themselves off. The room was dark save for the moonlight coming through the port hole. It was a full moon. The light was strong enough to give the room a feint grey glow.

Aria heard a sound. It was muffled by the walls. It pushed her into consciousness. A vibration came through the bed. Something rattled as if a heavy object had been dropped. The trooper propped up on an elbow. She gauged the room with her ears more than her eyes. There were more sounds. They were louder this time. Several bangs followed. Aria threw off the blanket. She rubbed her eyes and sat up out of bed. Looking around the room, all of her things were in place. She had fallen asleep in her clothes so she did not have to worry about changing. The trooper got up and turned on the lamp next to her bed. Her eyes adjusted. There were now voices. Shouting preceded noises related to pokemon. Uneasiness set in. Aria grabbed her pokemon belt. She strapped it around her waist as she walked to the door. She looked out the peephole, saw nothing, and unlocked it. Fear of the unknown kicked fatigue out of the port hole. The trooper cracked open the door. She stuck her head out into the constantly lit hallway. There was more rattling and a shout. It was close by. Aria swallowed hard. She stepped out into the hall. That was no regular shout. That was a pokemon command. It was clear now.

"_Wing attack_!"

"You little-_tackle_!"

Something flapped its wings and cawed. They were the sounds of a pokemon battle. Something yelped. Aria flinched to a stop as a man rolled into the opening of the hallway. He groaned in pain. Aria ran over to him.

"Hey, are you alright," she asked.

The trooper helped the man stand. He gratefully grabbed onto her arm. It revealed a white and blue jacket with an emblem Aria felt like she recognized. The man looked down the hallway he had fallen from. He shoved Aria away from him.

"Watch out!" he yelled.

Aria fell back. The man ducked. A murkrow flew between them in a _wing attack_. Aria went wide eyed. The man scrambled to his feet. A politoad feinted at his feet. He threw out another pokeball. The man looked to Aria.

"Quick, get out of here!" he yelled before giving his freshly materialized aipom several commands.

It ran after the murkrow that circled back around. A flurry of black feathers drifted to the floor. The man retreated down the hall several steps. Aria back stepped further down her own hallway. Another man fell into view. He was chasing the first. Aria froze when he glanced her way. This man was dressed in a black and brown uniform that she did not recognize. He looked disheveled from harsh battling. He intimidated Aria with his hunched grunt like demeanor. A second man came to his side. The first pointed to Aria. He had seen her come to the air of the man in white and blue.

"Quick! She's one of them! Get her!" he said.

The second grunted nodded and turned into Aria's hallway. The other chased after his opponent.

Get her? One of them? What in the world were they talking about?

Aria did not have time for questions. The grunt grinned at her stupor and threw out a raticate. Aria's hands fumbled on her pokebelt. She tried to back away. She tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground. The raticate soared over her in a missed _quick attack_. The trooper rolled over and threw out the closest pokeball. Rolo was released. Raticate had landed and was already heading for the stream of energy. The growlithe materialized directly in front of the mouse pokemon. Raticate crashed into Rolo. The puppy pokemon squealed. The two rolled past Aria. A _hyper fang_ dug into Rolo's fur. His shrill bark punched Aria in the chest. She frantically staggered to her feet. She whirled around. Rolo was pinned down the by the larger raticate. Snapping jaws and flailing claws tore between them. Forget the rules of pokemon battling. Aria leapt into the fight. No sane person would jump into such a scuffle. Aria grabbed the raticate's tail with both hands. She yanked as hard as she could. The raticate snarled. Before Aria could pull him off, something lashed against her back. It almost drew blood through her clothes.

The trooper let go of raticate in a shout of pain. She stepped back. A thick rope like vine whipped around her stomach and forearm. It wrenched her off of her feet onto her back. Aria looked upside down to her attacker. The grunt had sent out a second pokemon, an ivysaur. She barely had time to recognize it before it reeled in its vines and pulled her closer. This was not the first time she had been tangled by a _vine whip_. Growing up in a forest had its perks. Aria knew that vines from pokemon were just as vulnerable to attacks as their original body. The trooper twirled her wrists and grabbed the vines. She slung her body around and used her foot as a prop. Aria twisted the two vines and wrenched them apart as hard as she could. Ivysaur moaned. He stopped pulling and released Aria from the vines.

The trooper had failed to pull Raticate from Rolo but her seemingly miniscule efforts gave the growlithe the chance he needed. His jaws snapped and sparked. A _fire fang_ bit into raticate's tender under arm. The mouse pokemon shrieked. Rolo saw Ivysaur drag Aria across the floor. It was a moment of distraction raticate used to _sucker punch_ him in the stomach. Rolo took the hit. His mouth went aflame. A _flamethrower_ spewed from his throat. Raticate was engulfed.

The second ivysaur stopped dragging her, Aria jumped to her feet. She went into a sprint. The moment her foot touched the ground, a vine wrapped rightly around it. It was out from under her in an instant. Aria painfully dropped to the floor. The pokeball she unfastened slipped from her hand. The release button hit the floor. A stream of energy spilled out. Ivysaur bound Aria's ankles together. He dragged her closer again.

"Lopo," Aria screamed.

A bullet of black and silver ran after its trainer. Lopo came to Aria's legs. He used a _flamethrower_. The fire ignited the vines like paper. They flew off Aria in flaming whips under the scream of the seed pokemon.

Forget damaging the wallpaper, forget playing by the rules. This was no joke.

"_Fire blast_!" Aria frantically yelled.

Lopo skidded to a halt in front of the flailing ivysaur. He sucked in a deep breath. A roaring bark sent a fireball careening from his mouth straight into the ivysaur. It blew the pokemon back and continued until it hit the wall. It exploded. Pokemon and human flinched. Rolo threw off the feinted raticate. He glanced to Lopo. The houndor ran to Aria's side and gave him a single glance. In a snarl of silent understanding, the growlithe whirled around to the grunt. He was still recovering from the explosion. Rolo went straight for him. Twice now, in a single day, their trainer had been targeted. These dirty filthy humans attacking Aria with pokemon. They wouldn't stand for it. With no command from Aria, both fire filled canines fell into their predatory protective instinct. It's what they had to do when their trainer was in trouble.

Eliminate all threats.

The grunt threw out a third pokemon in a panic. It was a voltorb. It was ordered to attack with a _spark_. Voltorb narrowed its eyes. Electricity shot from its body. Rolo took the hit straight on without a single flinch or misstep. Trainer and pokemon froze in intimidation. Rolo pounced. A torrent of flame engulfed the passage. The grunt fell out of it. He fled down the hall in terror. Singed and smoking, he left all three of his feinted pokemon behind. Rolo turned around in the dissipating smoke and flames. Aria was on the floor. Both of her pant legs were burned. One was still on fire. She instinctually attempted to beat it out and burned her hand. Rolo hurried over. With Lopo, they smothered out the flames with their paws and bodies with no damage. Aria collected her panic. She controlled it through the presence of her pokemon. Aria patted both canines on the head before getting to her feet. She looked at the blackened hallway junction and feinted voltorb. Across the torn carpet, raticate's body was singed. Ivysaur lay in front of a massive hole in the wall. She had little sympathy for all of it. Aria looked around again. No one else showed up. It was a good thing other passengers chose to stay up late enjoying the ship.

Sounds of pokemon battling, shouting, and ship destruction intensified to a constant background hum. Aria wasn't going to wait around to see if anyone was going to get curious. She darted back into her room. Rolo and Lopo kept their eyes out for more danger outside. The trooper gathered her things and put on her book bag. She stuck her out of the door again. Someone screamed and ran across the hallway entrance. Aria ran down in hall in the opposite direction. She whistled and her fire canines followed. They ran through splinters of wood and plaster. The trooper slowed at the end of the hallway. A spout of water shot past the junction. She stuck her head around the corner. One of the sailors on the ship was battling another man in black and brown.

Claws scratched the walls. Water ferociously splashed around them. Aria darted around the corner. She rushed down the hall only to be cut off by a magneton that popped out in front of her. Rolo and Lopo leapt past her in twin _flamethrowers_. The magnet pokemon fell to the floor in a heavy _thunk_. More sparks shot out of another doorway. Aria yelped and ducked. Two magnemite locked in battle flew out, twirling and dancing around one another. They shot _thundershocks_ like static electricity. Lopo and Rolo were on the other side of the dueling pokemon. They barked for Aria to hurry to their side. Aria went to move past it but a black and brown trainer stumbled out into the hall in front of her. Behind her, a door kicked out. A trainer in white and blue jumped into the hallway. She was surrounded. The two mystery trainers glared at one another without even noticing Aria. The two magnemite went to their respective trainers.

"_Thundershock_!" the two trainers echoed.

Neither fired as a pokemon, somewhere, roared. It created a sonic boom. The trainers and Aria covered their ears. The walls rattled. The trooper was the quickest to recover. She dodged past the darker trainer to her pokemon. They rounded the corner. Aria felt the burn of electricity graze her back. She ran. She dodged through broken doors, passed screaming passengers, and narrowly avoided pokemon battles that threatened to stumble into her. The trooper threw her back into a corner. She hid in a small alcove behind a door. She panted heavily. Lopo and Rolo stood as close to her legs as they could to stay hidden in the shadow. The cruise ship had turned into a madhouse.

What in the world was going on?

Aria tried to calm. She ignored the rattling and groaning of the ship as it swayed strongly. She put a hand to the wall for support. There were pokemon battles everywhere. She tried to remember who was fighting. There were men in black and brown, white and blue, and sailors. The emblem on the white and blue uniform came to mind. It was the shield for the regional police department. What were the police doing on the cruise? Did it have to do with the trainers in black? Did both parties stow away on the ship?

Aria regained her strength. She did not understand any of it. All she knew was that she needed to find somewhere safe to go. The hallways were filled with battles. What was going on above deck? What about the majority of passengers on the ship that had no pokemon? It would be smart to find one of the officers and stick with them. At least then she could have some stability in the chaos. She might even be able to help. It felt like the ship was under attack by terrorists or pirates. Aria nodded to her confidence. She could do this. This was just like on the reservation during the territorial wars between the heracross and beedrill last spring.

"Ok, let's go," she whispered to her boys.

Rolo and Lopo came to attention. The trooper peered around the corner. The coast was clear. The three slipped back into the hallway.


	17. SS Surf Arc: 2

S.S. Surf Ark: 2

The sounds of battling slowed and shifted into brief pockets of conflict. Aria hurried down a corridor toward some stairs. She was hoping to get to a higher deck. The ships center of gravity tilted. The floors tilted. Someone must have released a heavy pokemon on the other end of the ship. The boat lurched. Aria stumbled off balance. She clipped a corner and fell into another hallway. She caught herself on the wall. Rolo and Lopo slid after her. They tore the carpet with their claws. The trooper looked up. The first thing she saw was another trainer. It was an older woman. She turned to Aria while trying to keep her balance without dropping her guard. The older woman wore a white and blue police uniform. It was a different style. She must have been higher ranking. A pokemon was behind her. It was almost too large to be affected by the shift. Whatever caused the lurch must have disappeared because the boat righted again.

As the two women caught their footing, the police officer managed to glance at Aria. She did not recognize the trooper or her pokemon, and from the looks of it, she had been engaged in battle. Aria did not have the look of a civilian. There was something that told her Aria was a powerful, and thus, dangerous person and trainer. If she wasn't one of her officers, then she was the enemy hiding undercover. Whatever smile Aria was about to put on in hopeful relief was crushed. The police sergeant slapped the back of the big brown shell beside her.

"Blastoise," she said.

The enormous shellfish pokemon turned around and stepped in front of her. Aria's eyes were white saucers. Her heart stopped.

"_Hydropump_!"

The Blastoise roared in approval. It aimed its twin cannons with a sickening click. Two pumps of water rocketed towards the trooper. In a flash of _agility_, Rolo leapt to the front. He let out the strongest flamethrower he could and charged. He took the full force of the blow. But the torrent of water was so large it almost encompassed the entire hallway. Aria and her canines were washed down the hall like a flushed pipe. They were blown the entire length before crashing into the wall that split into another corridor. The water spilled out to the sides. It revealed Aria sitting on the floor with her back to the wall. Utterly soaked, Aria coughed up some water. Her head spun. Because Rolo had used his fire, agility, and taken the full force of the blow, a lot of the energy stored within it had been dulled. Aria could have easily been killed. Lopo was at her side. Her body shielded him from most of the attack. He got to his feet relatively unscathed although a bit wobbly. Aria wiped the hair from her face. She looked to her legs. Rolo feinted nearby. He lay in the flooded carpet with his fur stuck up like a stray mutt. There was no time to soothe him. Heavy vibrations jumped up the trooper's legs. Blastoise was coming in their direction. He readied his guns and fired another _hydropump_.

Aria snatched up Rolo in her arms. She scrambled in a crawl to the side, slipped, and fell but it was enough. The torrent of water hit the space she just left. Lopo jumped onto Aria's shoulders and back. The pump broke down into the two halls and rushed through Aria's back, arms, and legs. The amount of water unleashed caused the boat to lurch again. Aria steadied Lopo and kept her grip on the growlithe in her arms. The trooper abandoned her plan to go to the police for help faster than the second _hydropump_. This was a free for all and Aria wasn't about to jump back in. Lopo jumped off her shoulders as the water cleared. The trooper got to her feet. The three slipped into a storage cabin. It broke into a series of narrow passages meant for crew use only. Aria randomly chose one and followed. She came across a door labeled "lounge". She opened the latch, jumped inside, and closed the door behind her. The trooper faced the door in a heavy pant. Hopefully, she could hide out here.

"Welcome to the party, Missy," someone said from behind. "You look like you've had a fun time."

"What are you doing?! What if she's one of them?" came another.

"_Meh_, cut the whining. She's not one of them."

Aria turned around. She was in one of the ship's expansive lounges created for those of a darker and sophisticated nature, complete with red and black furniture, chandeliers, and a full bar.

"Look, she's just as scared and confused as you are."

Four other passengers had found refuge in the lounge. The man who first greeted her sat at the bar with an open bottle of whiskey and a glass. For whatever reason, he wasn't wearing a shirt. He did not need to, not with a body chiseled by hard work, physical fitness, and due diligence. His hair was cropped short with a heavy five o'clock shadow. His jeans were loose with a few fashionable tares and bleach stripes along the leg. He was probably in his early forties but looked fifteen years younger.

The other three were huddled close together in a couple of chairs. One was a sailor from the ship. He was not quite sure what to do, yet had enough moral fiber to stay with the others. There was a lady who looked frazzled but was composed in comparison to the man who hugged his igglybuff so tight, Aria was afraid it would suffocate. He was the one who had questioned her entry. Who wouldn't when trainers were running around dishing out battles in some kind of war?

"Oh, God, she's a trainer, just look at that mutt!" the man cried.

He squeezed his pokemon tighter and looked to Aria's houndor. The man at the bar threw a rag at him.

"Would you shut up? You're a trainer aren't ya?" he quipped.

The wimp of a man gave a pathetic cry when the rag hit him. He threw it away like a dirty dish towel. The shirtless man spun on his stool. He looked at Aria again after hearing that she was a trainer. The trooper realized that this man had been drinking. His cheeks were flushed and his speech was somewhat slurred. It looked like he was about to say something inappropriate but stopped when he saw Lopo, unafraid and ready to attack, and Rolo, feinted in her arms. Having a real trainer in the room calmed the fire in his blood but it did not stop its effects.

"Come, sit, have a drink," the man said.

He poured himself another drink. The man sloshed it around before downing it in one swig. He clacked the glass back on the table with a sigh of satisfaction. Aria stepped closer. She put Rolo on one of the couches, not sure what to make of the situation.

"How can you drink like that at a time like this? You shouldn't be doing that. You're stealing their booze," the older woman snapped.

Her attempt at authority was a means of finding stability. The woman was grasping at straws.

"It's this kind of shit that you need a drink, lady. You should learn from example. It might calm you down enough for you to shut yer trap," the man at the bar replied.

Normally, he treated women with the utmost respect but with the night ruined and constant complaining and crying, he could barely stand it.

"I won't let them ruin my vacation. Besides, they can just write it off with all the other damages. Isn't that right there sailor boy?"

The sailor nervously flinched upon being addressed. He did not want to be pulled into the conversation. Considering the situation, he thought about having a drink himself. Even if he did have a problem with the man's antics, there was no way he was going to try and take alcohol away from a drunken patron who modeled MMA fighters. Aria withdrew Rolo and fastened him to her belt.

"Excuse me, but do any of you know what's happening?" Aria asked. "There are pokemon battles going on all over the ship."

"So that's what the ruckus is," the drunken fighter said.

There was a hint of frustration induced sarcasm to his tone. Aria glared. She turned her attention to the more sober listeners.

"I don't know," the nagging woman said. "I was getting lucky at the tables and all these people started yelling at us to evacuate."

She was cut off by the wimp with the igglybuff.

"I just wanted a drink. One minute I'm asking the bartender for a cocktail and the next there's lightning and fireballs shooting across the deck!"

He started sobbing. The sailor tried to comfort him. The fighter whirled around on the stool too fast for his own mechanics. He splashed his drink across the floor.

"I'll tell ya what's going on," the fighter said. "It's those damn Dragon Fangs!"

"Dragon Fangs?" the sailor said. "You mean that gang that's been in the news?"

"They're more than a gang sailor boy. They're a dirty rotten filthy criminal organization that cheats, beats, and bribes its way into anything. They've got their grubby hands in everything."

"That would explain the police badges," Aria added.

Before anyone could ask any more questions the man's drunkenness flared again.

"If I had my pokemon, we would have cleared this ship of the rats already!"

His enthusiasm knocked him off his seat. He hit the face of the bar with a clatter of the stool. None of his companions got up to help. Aria ran over and helped him to his feet. The fighter's breath was foul. He leaned on Aria as she helped him up. Shestruggled. The man weighed almost as much as a graveler. He suddenly looked to her and eyed her suspiciously.

"Who are you again?" he asked.

Aria held her breath to avoid gagging.

"My name is Aria," she said. "I just came in through the door. I'm a passenger on the cruise."

It took a moment for the man to understand. He quickly stood up out of Aria's hold, giving her a small startle.

"The name's Marcus," he said. "I'm a professional fighter, I-,"

The sudden movement was too fast for his body to comprehend. The fighter fell over the bar and back onto the floor. He took several bottles and glasses with him in a loud crash. Aria jumped back with her arms up in pained sympathy. The man with the igglybuff screamed. More alcohol spilled across the carpet. Lopo jumped back but then curiously put his nose to the air. He craned his neck to cautiously smell the drunk. On the floor, Marcus groaned. He slowly got up on an elbow with bourbon splashed across his back. He raised a finger to continue introductions.

"The sailor boy is Gary. The screaming whelp is-,"

Marcus paused as the wimp continued to shout in panic.

"Would you stop that yelling?" Marcus yelled. "It's too damn loud!"

Marcus sat up. He put a hand to his head as if he was already hungover. The rest of the room quieted.

"That screaming whelp is Niddy,"

"It's Neddy!" he corrected

Marcus waved him away. He did not bother to continue. The nagging woman huffed in annoyance. It was up to her to finish.

"And I'm Ruby," she said. "Now if we're done with the pleasantries, what are we going to do? We were supposed to be hiding. With that big guerilla destroying the place, we might as well be safer in a pokemon battle!"

If Aria wasn't so astonished she would have laughed. This was a group of characters. Marcus seemed to be alright so she left him on the floor. The trooper turned to the others. Neddy snapped.

"We're gonna die. I know it. I can't die like this. I still have things to do, oh God."

"Calm down, Ned. Nobody is going to die," Gary said.

He looked to the others for help. Ruby huffed again and walked away. Aria had no idea what to say. Her forte was the mountain wilds. The only thing keeping her calm was the fact that if worst came to worst and the boat sank she had Styx to ride on. She could not afford to panic. With Rolo feinted, and Sebastian locked away, Lopo was her only help. She had to worry about not only her safety, but the safety of her pokemon and even these people. Being out in the woods taught her many things. One was how to keep a steady focus and avoid panic.

Ned quieted down with Gary's hopeful words. It left a tense silence in the room. There was a chance that Neddy's fears were true. None of them knew exactly what was going on. There was a chance hostages would be taken, people hurt, or maybe even killed. Marcus attempted to stand. He hit his head under the bar. The fighter hoarsely whispered a cuss and grabbed the back of his head. Several of the others winced in sympathy. Gary would have helped but he already had one person to babysit. With Ruby grinning at drunken karma, Aria took it upon herself to help Marcus. She rolled her eyes and held up her hands. The fighter grabbed them, wobbled, caught himself, and slumped onto a different stool.

"I don't know how much more I can take of this," Neddy whimpered.

"You guys have procedures for stuff like this, don't you?" Ruby aimed at the sailor.

"Wha-well, in case of an emergency all personal are to evacuate the passengers by life boat and pokemon," Gary mumbled.

"Then what the hell are we still doing in here?" Ruby yelled. "Aren't you supposed to evacuate us? Oh wait, we can't because the drunken giant won't leave the bar."

Marcus got up with a sneer. He leaned against the bar in a half attempt at standing. Aria intervened.

"No, you can't leave," Aria said. "It's way too dangerous out there. Trust me. It was hell just getting here."

"You've got pokemon," Ruby said. "You can protect us."

Aria glared at the woman and her attempt to throw her and her pokemon under the bus.

"Even with my pokemon, it's too dangerous. There are pokemon battles going on in the halls. It's a mad house. People are attacking one another. Trust me. It's safer in here."

Even if the confusion outside was caused because of a struggle between Dragon Fang and the police, they were still involving passengers. They could not tell who was friend or foe. Apparently there were people hiding undercover on both sides. Aria figured this out the hard way.

"The longer we wait the more pokemon that will feint. Eventually, things will calm down enough for us to get out of here."

"We could make a plan in the meantime," Gary hopefully said.

Aria nodded. Being proactive in a time of crises helped keep people calm. Aria was also worried about her pokemon. Rolo would not wake up for a while. She wanted Lopo to get as much rest as possible. God only knew what else would happen tonight.

"Do you have any kind of pokemon supplies, like revives or anything?" Aria asked.

Gary thought about it. He nodded and rushed behind the bar.

"We keep a small box of emergency supplies in every room. There might be something like that," he said.

He opened a small cabinet to reveal a small safe with a keypad.

"But I don't know exactly where. Check the closet over there. I'll look in the safe."

Aria spotted the closet. On her way over to it, the ship tilted again. There was the distinct shriek of a pokemon. Marcus clung onto the bar with all of his strength. The others braced themselves on furniture. They had experienced this several times already. Neddy moaned but kept his panic smothered as he watched Aria wobble on open ground. It was humorous enough to keep his eyes on her and not cry out in terror. In fact, as he watched and the ship settled, he became calm enough to take a good look at her. Aria was drenched head to toe. Had she fallen overboard? Been hit by a water attack? Was there a hole in the ship? Her pant legs were blackened. One was burned rather severely. Did she run through a fire? Had she been hit with a fire attack? Was she targeted, mistaken, or the aggressor? Were there other trainers like this on the ship? What happened to her out there? Neddy had a brief moment of sanity.

"It really is dangerous out there, isn't it?" he said.

His words went deep. Ruby looked at him in surprise. Gary paused and listened from behind the bar. Marcus was quiet. He reached over and grabbed a bear from underneath the bar. He popped the top rather solemnly. Aria reached the cabinet and opened it. Lopo jumped onto the top of a sofa to watch. Aria was quiet. She thought about the frantic battles she had endured in the hallways.

"Yeah," she said. "It is."

Aria scanned the closet. Lopo whined softly and shifted his foot. Aria turned to him with a smile. Marcus took a swig of his beer.

"And seconds ago you were worried about her being an enemy," he said. "I told you she was one of us."

Marcus wiped his mouth. Shouting came through the main door to the lounge. There were banging and stumbling steps. They ended with a crash. The main door flung open. A college dropout rushed in. He was disheveled and out of breath. Marcus pointed his bottle at him.

"Now, see, that's a bad guy," he slurred with one droopy eye.

The dropout glanced around. He started with Ruby and shifted across the room. Wild panic filled his eyes.

"Which of you is trainers?" he shouted.

He was so upset that his grammar suffered. Marcus took another drink with his eyes locked on the boy. Lopo jumped off of the couch to stand at his trainer's feet. The dropout saw the houndor. He turned in Aria's direction. He had seen the igglybuff but with the look to its trainer it wouldn't be useful. A houndor looked mean and scary. That was a pokemon worth apprehending. Having just escaped a pursuer, and with his entire party feinted, the grunt was desperate to get another.

"You," he shouted while rushing towards Aria and Lopo. "Give me your pokemon!"

The grunt started across the room. He walked past the bar. Marcus took another swig with wolfish eyes on the grunt. He carelessly tossed the bottle away. It shattered on the floor. Marcus tackled the grunt from behind with an enthusiastic yell. They both fell to the ground. Using Brazilian jujitsu, Marcus gained side control. He put the grunt in an arm bar, immobilizing the boy with his legs around his shoulder while pulling his arm back. The fighter threatened to break it.

"Not so tough without your pokemon are ya!" Marcus yelled.

The grunt struggled. He could not do much until Marcus released him in a nonexistent tap out. The man scrambled to his feet. Marcus jumped up with ease. He leapt into a judo throw. The grunt hit the floor with his back, utterly winded. From there, Marcus hovered over him. The grunt rolled over in pain. It was the perfect opening. The fighter mounted and put the grunt in a rear naked choke. His arm squeezed his throat.

"This is how a real man fights," Marcus said.

The grunt gagged. His face changed color. The moment he fell unconscious, Marcus released him. The grunt fell to the floor. Marcus' drunken state had no merit compared to his muscle memory. Anything other than that, however, was a different story. Aria and the others stared at Marcus with their mouths agape. The fighter continued to sit on the man. He patted the grunt roughly on the back and belched. Ruby flinched in disgust. Gary appeared from behind the bar. The ship rattled again with a renewed pokemon battle that sounded close by. Aria looked to the door the grunt entered from.

"That sounded close," she said. "We should get out of here before anymore grunts show up."

If there were protests, the passengers kept them to themselves. Marcus' technique demonstration had put to sleep any complaints. The fighter flung out an arm that was more dangerous than expressive.

"If I had my pokemon!-," he began to yell but was cut off by Gary.

"-you would have cleared the entire ship already, yes, yes, we know," the sailor finished.

Gary came around the bar. He herded Neddy and Ruby together. He looked to Aria.

"He's said that three times already."

Aria smiled and exchanged a look of tolerant amusement.

"Come on Marcus, upsie-daisy," Aria said.

She came over and helped the fighter to his feet. He took it with a grunt and leaned on her. Aria struggled until Gary stepped in and they switched responsibilities.

"Let's go, before we get more guests," Gary said. "We'll take the side door you came in. Hopefully, no one's back there."

Aria took the lead with Ruby and Neddy. Gary and Marcus followed. They made it through the back channels into one of the cabin hallways. Gary shouted directions to Aria. There was a set of stairs close by that would lead to the upper deck. It would bring them close to the steering deck and captain's quarters which was supposed to be one of the most secure places on the ship. The sailor had faith in his crew that they would never surrender the helm. Aria stopped at the bottom of the stairs when they came to it. She motioned for Ruby to take the lead with Neddy. With Gary's instructions, they could continue to the upper deck. The sailor lagged behind, but considering the amount of pure muscle he was carrying, he was doing alright.

"You know what Gary? I like you, you're a good sailor," Marcus slurred as they approached.

Gary tried to ignore the alcohol induced conversation. He had to stay focused. Aria helped steady the fighter so that he could climb the stairs. Marcus paused in the middle of it to look at Aria with a loose turn of his head.

"I like you too," he said. "You're like, a milotic and ninetails hybrid, slender, sleek, and sexy with curves-"

"Now's not the time, Marcus," Aria interrupted.

She guided him past her and up the stairs. Gary shoved him along the way. Another pokemon battle flared up in the distance. Aria waited below as a lookout. Halfway up, Marcus turned to her again. His gaze was dead serious.

"I love you," he announced.

Marcus turned to Gary.

"I love you too man."

"Would you please try to focus," the sailor asked.

Eventually they made it to the top of the stairs. Aria started to climb afterwards. She stopped when something crashed close by. Lopo stopped alongside of her.

"You alright?" Gary yelled down.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Aria absently said.

The trooper turned her head to the side and listened. She swore she heard something, someone. Her instinct refused to let her ascend further.

"Keep going," she suddenly said. "I'll be right behind you."

"Hey, wait! What about the helm? What if you get lost? It's dangerous!" Gary called.

Aria was already going back down the stairs with her houndor.

"I remember your directions," she said. "I just need to check on something. I'll be there, just keep going and get the others to the cabin."

Gary hesitated but Aria was already going back down the hall. She did have her houndor if she ran into trouble. Neddy and Ruby were not fighters. It was his responsibility to get them to safety. The sailor had no choice but to continue on without her.


	18. SS Surf Arc: 3

S.S. Surf Ark: 3

Aria tuned her senses. She listened for the noise again while trying to discern where the crash had come from. The trooper had to explore a little. Something in her gut told her to find it. It pulled her deeper into the ship. She went down another cabin level. She found the cause of the crash while rounding a corner into a short hallway that led to another. Some of the equipment attached to the wall had broken loose and fallen over. There was a person trapped underneath by his lower half. Pokemon noises filled the background. Aria heard it like it was right in front of her. She pushed aside the sounds when the trapped man saw her.

"Help! Please, I'm stuck!" he pleaded.

His desperation was well warranted. Aria tried to assess the situation.

"I think my leg's broken," the man said.

"It's ok, calm down," she tried to soothe.

The situation reminded her of emergencies in the woods. She grabbed the heavy equipment. She tried to heave it off but it did not do much. She was not strong enough to lift it on her own. Quick on her feet, Aria knelt down and used a different point of leverage. She pushed with the help of the man and even Lopo. They managed to jimmy the equipment enough for the man to squirm free. Aria grabbed his hands and helped pull him out onto his feet. She slung his arm over her shoulder to ease his limp.

Flashes of flame shot across the opposite end of the hallway. There was a screech of a successful attack. One of the combatants stepped backward out of a cloud of smoke into the view of the intersection. He held his hands up in defense. The smoke made him cough. His scarf floated neatly back into place. Aria doubted until she saw the dark purple hair. Roughed up from the battle, Raven steadied his balance. He put a hand to the dark teal like back of his typhlosion as it stepped back. It put the volcano pokemon up against his trainer in the narrow space. Raven felt the pressure of the wall suddenly open. He glanced down the hallway. His eyes stuck to the far end. His guard dropped.

"Aria?" he whispered in disbelief. _Why is she here?_

"Raven?" she said. _What was he doing here?_

The typhlosion looked in the trooper's direction. He fixed his attention on her with the sixth sense pokemon had. He felt like he had heard that voice before, as if in a greeting. It reminded him of a train. A thousand thoughts erupted in all corners of Raven's mind. The first was about the man leaning on Aria's shoulders. He wore a similar look of shock. It changed into fear and hate when they recognized each other.

"Aria, get away from him," Raven shouted.

Before he could say more, a flash of electricity zipped across the ceiling. Raven and his pokemon turned their attention back to the battle. The volcano pokemon snarled. Raven jumped back. Typhlosion's back erupted in spike like flames. The man on Aria's shoulders realized that the two knew each other. That put them on the same side. It made her an enemy. The man tore away from Aria. She gave no resistance and stepped back more confused than concerned. Lopo leapt to her side. His suspicions were high and jaws loose. The man staggered from his injury. He fell into the wall. It did not stop him from pulling out a pokeball. The second Aria caught sight of it, her blood rushed and eyes narrowed. She had just stumbled into another threat. So much for being helpful. The ship groaned and swayed. The man grabbed his leg and released a cacnea. The overhead lights went out. The trainers were cast into darkness. With only Lopo at her side, Aria knew better than to jump into another random fruitless battle.

"Guide," Aria commanded. "Hurry."

She reached down for the houndor. He stuck his nose into her hands to lead. He was a dark pokemon. Night vision came standard. Lopo had no trouble navigating the dark. The trooper leaned over and put her hands on Lopo's back as if she was pushing something with wheels. The houndor trotted down the hall in retreat. The two made it around the corner before the emergency lights came on. They cast an eerie white glow in the corridors. Aria stood and released Lopo. They ran off down the hallway to make sure they escaped. The blackout got her heart racing. Instinct started flailing. Gangs, passengers, police, trainers, friend, foe, Aria did not know what to think, so she ran.

A second wave of battles began. After the original chaos died down, teams managed to reorganize and recuperate. Aria could feel the intensity of it all around her. Several people in brown and black stepped out into the hall in front of her. Aria slid to a stop. She turned on her heels and dove into another passage. The last half of the group spotted her retreat. They instantly saw it as another adversary trying to hide. Possibly two or three people gave chase. Aria did not stop to count. She ran around the ship enough to get a feel for the layout. The trooper weaved her way through debris. When the pressure lifted off of her back and the shouting stopped, Aria slowed. She saw a ladder. The trooper went over to it and started to descend. She whistled and Lopo jumped onto her shoulders. Aria carried him down and jumped off at the bottom. She descended into one of the lower decks of the ship. It was underneath all of the attractions and cabins. It was quiet here aside from the hum of machinery, pipes, and other things that were exposed. The space was also wider. Small crates lined part of the wall along with other cargo.

Aria walked in a little ways. She felt like she had walked into a creepy airplane cargo bay. Lopo tiptoed ahead of her. He was barraged with a new set of smells. Something dropped behind them. Lopo was the first to turn around. Aria jumped in surprise. A man in a black and brown jacket stepped away from the ladder. A band with two bars lined his hat. The man unconsciously touched the center of his chest. He purposefully took off his hat to show his face. A vengeful smile revealed a set of white fang like teeth.

"I bet you thought today was your lucky day," the man said.

The man stopped and put a hand in his pocket. Aria tensed. She took a few steps back. This was the same man who had tried to steal her bag in the city.

"Looks like you gambled a losing hand."

Lieutenant Harris Boyd of Dragon Fang bit his bottom lip to hold back his eagerness. He looked Aria up and down. His eyes fell onto the houndor. Lopo leapt forward in a snarl and slid in front of Aria. Cinders spilled from his mouth. He clapped his teeth together and sneezed smoke. Aria glanced to the sides as if looking for a weapon or means of escaping. The fear she felt when dealing with dangerous people crept back into her bones. This man was a threat, with or without pokemon. He snickered and motioned towards her with his hat.

"I think that bag belongs to me," he said.

Aria kept her eyes on the lieutenant like he was a wild and powerful pokemon. She had to be smart. She had to be ready. Lopo was her only line of defense.

"Me and my houndor would have to disagree," Aria said.

Lopo barked. It was distorted by a burst of flame. Harris' smile twisted. He pulled out a pokeball, tossed it lightly, and caught it like a toy.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he said.

Harris threw out the ball. The energy stream sparked and jolted from side to side in a violent manner. It formed a raichu. It called and let out a small burst of electricity from its body. Aria felt it when the pokemon was released, this was no joke. Somebody was going to get hurt. Harris put his hat back on. There was no way he was going to let this trainer beat him twice.

"Be careful Lopo," Aria said before giving him instruction.

He barked. Raichu slapped its tail on the ground in a spurt of electricity. It left a burn across the floor.

"Now," Aria commanded. "Flame and double!"

Lopo took off in a sprint for raichu.

"Go, _electroball_!" Harris shouted.

Raichu swung its tail in front of his stomach while jumping onto its toes. Lopo rushed forward. A _flamethrower_ burst from his lips. It roared ahead of him. The torrent split in half with a scream. A ball of electricity soared through the center of it like a bullet through smoke. Lopo's body fluttered into two images. The one was just to the side of the attack. The electroball whizzed past the houndor in a miss. Aria narrowly avoided it. It exploded like a water balloon against the floor. The ship moaned loudly. Something bent under stress. It started popping. Aria looked up to the ceiling. Houndor and Raichu were cut short. The floor above them suddenly caved in. A large crash preceded a wave of water and debris that fell down onto the battle. It poured over raichu and Lopo as if someone just broke the wall of a damn. They were gone in an instant.

"Lopo!" Aria shrieked.

The ship shook. Metal bent. Wood broke and cracked. Glass shattered. Water flooded the floor. The ship lurched. It threw Aria and the others to the floor. Someone screamed. Something popped. It was drowned by the roar of water. Crashing and clanging were muffled by splashing. Aria struggled to stand up through the water rushing to emergency drains through her legs. Her scream was cut short as another part of the ceiling caved in above her. The hold went pitch black.

A new set of dim orange evacuation lights came on. They flickered like silent rotating sirens. One or two emergency lights were still on. They flickered by the touch of a ghost. Most had been destroyed in the collapse. The ship groaned and creaked. It swayed slowly. Water dripped from the hole in the ceiling where the initial flood spilled into the hold. It dripped off broken pipes, bent steel, and timbers of splintered wood hammered to plaster. Similar debris covered the floor of the hold. The water that spilled down was the work of broken pipes, a hole in the ship, and the remnants of a pokemon battle. It now covered the floor in an inch of water. It sloshed back and forth down the hallway in tune to the sway of the ship. It pooled around piles of debris and retreated like fast acting tide pools. Something electric popped in the background in a burst of sparks that dangerously fell to the floor.

Aria's breathing was labored. She grunted underneath a pile of debris and opened her eyes. She ignored the water gently caressing her. It passed along her body like a stream that did not know which way to flow. If she focused on it, the panic would overwhelm her. The water was rising. Aria's gaze was aimed at the ceiling. She tried to move but couldn't. The cold steel of a beam or bar was over her shoulder. Something was against her hips. It was heavy. The trooper's left arm was free but there was rubble wedged between her arm and chest, keeping it above her head. The other arm was tripped tightly underneath debris to her side. Aria tried not to panic.

_What can I move? What can I feel?_

Aria could move one leg. The other was hindered by something against her thigh. Aria was afraid to push it away because of its sharpness. There was something in the hand of her trapped arm. The trooper tightly squeezed it. She could not see it but she knew what it was. It was Lopo's pokeball. She had managed to withdraw him before she was trapped. The distance between her arm and torso indicated just how last minute the rescue was. Aria would not let go of it, not even if it would help her escape. If she did, she might drop it or lose it. Aria's gaze dashed frantically around the ceiling. It was hard to control her panic. She could hear water rushing into the hold. The water level was rising. She was trapped to the floor. The water pooled around her when the ship tilted in her direction. The trooper could not see if she was hurt. She did not know if Lopo was alright. She had to assume the enemy had run away or was trapped. Tears rolled from her eyes. Aria tried to free herself. She couldn't. The water sloshed more viciously. It splashed up onto Aria's face. It was cold and chilling. She had to get out from under the rubble or she would drown.

The trooper lifted her head and bent her free arm down towards her stomach. It bent over the debris across her shoulder. The position was awkward and caused discomfort. There was too much tension in unusual places. She had to pull away. Aria's heart pounded in her chest. She had to try again. Her hand shook as she reached for her pokebelt. The rubble dug into her arm. She tried again and again despite the pain. The water now splashed onto Aria's face as she laid her head back down in an attempt to rest. The floor vibrated. Aria's heart stopped. Something groaned and gave way. Aria frantically raised her head again. She reached as far as she could. Something cut into her arm. She could not pull back now. Aria's dirty fingertips shook. She strained the limits of her body. They grazed the top of the great ball. Aria yelled in one last effort. The great ball dislodged. A rush of water suddenly flowed over her like a tidal wave. It back splashed against the debris, filling her mouth and nose. Aria coughed and sputtered. She fell back to the floor and was temporarily submerged by the pooling. The water receded. Aria coughed back into existence through a fit of gasping. She could not move the hair from her face.

The trooper held up the great ball. She used the rubble as a prop to rotate the release button into view. The sway of water came back. It rushed over her and nearly washed the pokeball from her hands. Aria was forced to raise her head to stay above the water line. It receded. Aria pressed the release and threw her arm back. She could not see Styx materialize behind her. The water was shallow. His pincers heavily hit the ground. The tentacruel fell to the side. He quickly used his tentacles to stop the fall, using half to hold himself up from the ground and a few others to grab onto nearby debris. Aria tried to look back.

"Sty-,"

Aria's shout was filled with sea water. She gurgled and gagged. She had to hold her breath at the peak of pooling. Even as it receded Aria only managed a few gasps before the strength in her neck gave out. Her head fell back to the floor under the water. Aria thrashed in desperation. She used her free hand to try and move the beam from her shoulder. Although confused, Styx could see that his trainer was in trouble. He pulled himself closer. A tentacle wrapped around Aria's free arm as she came out of the water. He tugged. Aria raised her head in a yelp. The pulling pushed whatever was on her leg into her thigh.

Aria went under again. Styx began to panic. Still holding onto Aria, he tried to push some of the debris off. It was too heavy for a few measly tentacles out of water. The trooper tried to raise her head in the receding water sway. Her gulp of air was interrupted. The water broke its terminal point and washed over her face. Styx could feel Aria struggle. She was drowning. The tentacruel used _surf_. He pulled the water away from them, allowing Aria's face to break the surface. The irregular sloshing and flow of the still rising water level allowed for little control. Aria managed a few breathes before Styx's hold broke and the backlog of water rushed over them. The water pounded her like a sudden pulse of gravity. Styx was nearly thrown into her from the wave. He pulled himself back to avoid crushing his trainer. The water was now too high for Aria to break the surface. Styx wrapped more tentacles around Aria, protectively and lovingly, but his mind was frantic. He could not pull her out without hurting her. He could not move the debris. He knew how fragile humans were, how fragile Aria was. Despite his denial, she wasn't a water pokemon. She could not breathe underwater like him. She couldn't breathe- Styx maneuvered several tentacles under Aria. They went into her backpack that had been offset to the side off of her shoulder. He frantically pulled out the clothes and found what he was looking for. Styx used another _surf_. All of the water was pulled away. He pushed the rebreather into Aria's cheek. Aria caught her breathe and put in the mouth piece. She instantly calmed. The water sloshed back forcefully but the trooper was no longer frantic. She controlled her breathing and adjusted to the apparatus. Aria opened her eyes. The water was rather clear. There was a dark orange and blue tint to everything. The rebreather had about an hour of air left in the two mini canisters. Styx could now focus on freeing her.

The water was almost high enough now for Styx to float. The tentacruel wasn't going to wait for the water to rise. Materializing into a scenario where your favorite and most cherished trainer was on the brink of death took away all hesitation and lawful obedience. Styx could do little in such a petty amount of water. He pulled himself closer to the wall of the hull and turned to face it. His shadowed eyes narrowed dangerously. His true level of power began to show. Four tentacles reared back. They sprang at the hull in the same position through repeated _poison jabs_. It only took four to punch through the hull. He made several more. Aria felt the new flow of water mix in. Styx did not have to wait long before he could float on his own. He floated back to his trainer. His tentacles drifted over her like a forest. Styx grabbed onto various objects with his elastic tentacles. He tilted up and opened the wide pincers below his helm. He dropped and clamped onto the pile of debris. The tentacruel lifted it enough for Aria to wiggle out with a stream of bubbles from her rebreather. She stood and broke the surface with the waterline at her breasts. Styx dropped the debris and floated to the surface.

Aria pushed the hair from her face and removed the rebreather. She raised her right hand to look at the Lopo's pokeball within it. It was untouched. Aria was relieved. The water was now at her shoulders. Aria stood on her tiptoes. Styx floated closer. He nudged Aria with only half of his helmet above water. The trooper grabbed it. She looked around. Half of the hull was flooded. Debris floated at the top. The ship was taking on water.

The trooper guided Styx over to the ladder. The hatch was locked probably because of the lieutenant who escaped. Aria cursed. The hold would flood before she could find another exit. The emergency locks and measures would have already been applied to the ship to prevent further leaking. Styx had punched through the hull. He might be able to make a hole large enough to go through. But that would doom the ship. The edges would also be sharp and jagged. The force of the water rushing in would be too great for her to resist. Outside, there were currents and the pull from the motors. Styx could handle it alone but not with a human on his back. Something dripped onto Aria from above. She looked up. The trooper could see into the corridor above through the hole in the ceiling. It had the same wallpaper as the cabin level. That would be her escape. Aria looked down into the blue helmet.

"Think you can get me up there buddy?" she said.

Styx answered by swimming underneath the hole. Aria glanced up and down to guide him into position. She straddled Styx's slippery helm on all fours.

"Just like the pond, it's just like the pond," Aria tried to convince herself.

Over the years, Aria and Styx and practiced the tentacruel's water manipulation through horseplay and other dangerous situations that required creative thinking.

"Just enough to get me to the edge," Aria said.

Styx saluted with a tentacle. Aria took a few breathes in preparation.

"I'm trusting you Styx."

As if she couldn't.

"Hydrosurf!"

The jellyfish pokemon's red orbs began to glow. His helmet sunk under the surface while the water around it began to swell and bulge in a combination of _hydropump_ and _surf_. It rose like a mound out of the water line with Aria in the middle. The surface swirled and a pillar of water rose into the air. Aria rose with it like a ball on the spout of a fountain. The water spilled like a waterfall along the sides. Aria had to remain perfectly still to stay in the center of the spiraling water. If she didn't, she would be pushed out with the current. A fall from this height would not kill her but landing on a piece of rubble could.

Aria tensely kept her balance. The tentacruel worked with perfect technique and execution. They started getting the hang of tricks like this within the last two years. Aria was tempted to hold her breath and close her eyes but Styx was unshakeable. Maybe at another time he would have lost focus. Rescuing Aria after she fell was enjoyable. But now there was nothing but the safety and well being of his trainer on his mind. The pillar wobbled once. Aria was jerked slightly but steadied. The edge came into reach. Aria waited until it was shoulder length before grabbing it. She tossed the rebreather onto the floor to get a better grip.

"Alright, phase two," Aria shouted.

She began to jar from changing positions. She could still be thrown from the ledge. The pillar gave way and fell. Aria dangled by her own strength. Immediately afterwards, a smaller but more condensed _hydropump_ shot upwards. Aria loosened her grip and straightened her legs. She would have fallen if the pillar did not push her up from underneath. It swayed and thrust her forward as if someone had given her a push. Aria tilted and fell onto the floor. She rolled in a splash of water. Several things dropped out of her open bag.

Aria got to her hands and knees. The move was a success. There was subsequent splashing in the water below. Aria slumped off her bag and crawled to the edge of the ledge. She looked over. Styx rose to the surface. She smiled before sitting back in relief. The trooper felt heavy now that she was out of the water. She gathered her bearings. Aria was drenched head to toe, inside and out. She had been banged up pretty hard. Her back ached from the vine whip. Several scratches and bruises dotted her skin. She had been tossed around enough for a constant headache. Her shoulder and thigh were particularly cut up. She was also starting to get hungry and tired which weakened her. The earlier traveling did well to tire her out. It provided a weak foundation for the turmoil experienced on the ship. Her small nap did not give her enough time to recover. But Aria could not rest. This was not over. She gathered the objects that had fallen from her bag. Her clothes, cell phone, book, and snacks were gone. Her papers and map were soaked and ruined. Her wallet, rebreather, and a few other things survived but the bag was now mostly empty. At least, she had the important items including all four pokeballs on her belt and pokemon license. Aria zipped it up and slung it back over her shoulders. She crept over to the edge again. Styx diligently waited below, watching the ceiling.

"Good work Styx, now let's get the heck out of here," she shouted.

The ship was still in chaos. She had to meet up with the others.

"Can you punch out a hole to escape through?" Aria asked.

It was a question of his determination rather than physical fitness. Styx wiggled several tentacles in a "hell yeah". Aria was too far up to withdraw him into his ball. She had no remorse punching another hole in the ship. It was already taking on water. There were procedures for this sort of thing anyway. Besides, it didn't seem to be the worst thing to happen on the cruise.

"Once you get out, get a little ways away from the ship so nobody will bother you. I'll try to catch up with the other passengers. Stay with the ship on this side, this way, if anything happens, I can call for you."

Having Styx swim alongside the ship eased her nerves. It was like he was some kind of body guard.

The tentacruel sunk under the water and swam over to the section of wall he had already punched several holes through. Aria got to her feet. She staggered. The dull ache suddenly shifted into a shock of pain up her legs. It originated from one of her knees. Aria bit her lip in a wince. She looked down to it and shifted her weight onto one leg. The trooper was not surprised. She had fallen several times and strained it. The trooper muscled through the pain. She could walk but with a slight limp. That same thigh bled from the cut she received under the rubble. She could do little more than put a hand to it. Aria muttered curses to herself.

So much for a vacation.


	19. SS Surf Arc: 4

S.S. Surf Ark: 4

The trooper made her way down the hall. She kept her eyes and ears sharp for people or pokemon. She was too afraid to let Lopo out of his ball. If he was injured it would only worsen the situation. Aria climbed up a spiral staircase. She carefully made her way to the upper decks, ducking behind corners whenever she thought she heard something. A pair of people came by. Aria hid. She did not want to risk seeing if they were friend or foe. She passed the performance hall and saw a large group of people inside. Aria bypassed it and went for the helm. What she knew was what Gary told her. She felt naked and frightened without her pokemon. She reassured herself that Styx was just on the outside. It did not take Aria as long as she thought to get to the upper deck. It seemed that the pokemon battles had died down. It was either a break of some kind or the end of the turmoil. Whatever it was, it helped Aria get to the main door leading to the outside deck without trouble. Aria looked out the window. There were several people with pokemon standing around. She quickly ducked down and prayed that no one had seen her.

"No, we got most of them inside the ship. They are hiding in pockets with a big group in the audience hall," she heard through the door.

"We engaged all the stragglers and the brazen trainers."

"They're backed into a corner."

"Don't get cocky. They could say the same about us."

"But the difference with us is that we are willing to hurt the hostages and they have to protect them."

"Shut up. As far as they know, we're concerned citizens."

Apparently the two warring sides had separated and reorganized. That would explain the seize fire. The ship was still intact so emergency procedures must have activated. This group had possession of the outside decks and some of the upper levels. Aria slipped away. She tried to pretend that her wet squeaking shoes were silent. She stealthily maneuvered to one of the side doors that lead to the deck running alongside the ship. She had to go to the deck to reach the helm. Her chances were better going through here. Aria could not see far from the window. She had to risk it. The trooper carefully opened the door. She stepped out on the deck. The left was clear. The right, Aria held her breath. There was someone standing with their back to her. The stranger wore a black and brown jacket uniform with a matching hat. She had not noticed Aria. The trooper took a few steps back. She turned and found the stairs to the helm. The woman standing on deck had not noticed, but the golbat flying around her did. It screeched in alarm. Both Aria and the trainer jumped in surprise. Aria almost lost her heart through her chest. Both trainers whirled around to look at each other. To the grunt, Aria looked like an escaped hostage.

"Hey, how did you get out here?" the woman yelled.

Aria was not about to explain. She turned on her heels to run. It set off alarms for the grunt.

"Quick, somebody stop her! Don't let her escape!"

Aria only made it a few steps before skidding to a halt. Another grunt slid out onto the deck in front of her. The trainer from behind ordered her golbat into action. Aria turned and ducked as it soared over her in a rush of wind. Someone released a second pokemon. It was followed by a third. Aria could not look as the bat pokemon swooped at her again. This time, it snagged Aria's backpack. The trooper pulled free but fell to the slippery deck in the process. She heard yet another pokemon materialize. Her panic opened the door to instinct. She did what she knew best, run. Aria scrambled to her feet. She pulled the rebreather from her pocket. Someone shouted. Pokemon ran after her. The left and right were blocked. There was only one way out. Aria ran to the railing, climbed on top, and jumped with the screech of the golbat sweeping by in a failed attack.

For a moment, she flew. Her arms and legs swinging in motion.

Aria dropped into the ocean with a splash. She shoved the rebreather in her mouth and opened her eyes. The water was as dark as the night sky above. It was silent. Aria stayed underwater and swam a few paces. She rolled over to look back where she had entered. Bubbles from the impact still fluttered to the surface. Some light came off of the ship. It cast an eerie glow into the silence. No one jumped in after her. The trooper swam further from the ship until she realized she did not know where she was going. She would have to surface.

On the ship, three grunts ran over to the spot where Aria had jumped. They looked over the railing. The grunts kept their eyes on the water but for some reason she did not surface.

"What the hell," one of them said.

Their frustration grew. Every moment she was out of custody, the more abuse their superior would barrage them with. A hostage, or worse, a police officer had escaped.

"We can't see anything. It's too dark," one said.

"Is she trying to kill herself?"

"She didn't release a water pokemon did she?"

"I don't remember seeing one."

"She's been under a while."

"Maybe she's dead?"

"There! Over there!"

One of them pointed further away from the ship. Aria broke the surface. The sky was just as black as the water. She twirled around, trying to find a point of reference. The glow of the Garden Cruise board walks were a few miles away. The ship was in the opposite direction. There were a few people running along the rails, probably because of her escape. Aria was a good swimmer but by no means could she handle the strong waves and current of the strait. The trooper took the rebreather from her mouth. It would have been better to stay on the ship.

"Quick, we can't let her get away. Bring her back to the ship," one of the grunt officers ordered.

Aria spun away from the ship. She looked for the tentacruel waiting somewhere in the water. With her back to the ship, Aria failed to notice the four streams of energy that fell for the water. She saw a red glow flash at her. Styx had seen the event on the ship. He was coming to Aria's rescue as fast as he could. The trooper smiled and started swimming towards him. His species was not known for their speed. Despite the darkness, Styx could tell Aria was coming closer. He could sense her through pulses of ultrasonic waves in the water. They gave him a much clearer picture than anything Aria could see. It was with this technique that he noticed several disturbances in the water. They grew stronger by the second. Styx tried to quicken the pace. Two carvanha and one sharpedo cut through the water straight for Aria. She was oblivious. Of all the times to be a silent species. Styx could not warn her. He could only reach her first.

Aria did not see the fins rise out of the water behind her. She could not even see Styx's change in body language. His eyes were more poisonous than his jab. Styx threw his tentacles forward in a silent roar. Two plumes of water roared to life from them like torpedoes. They missed Aria by inches on either side. The trooper jostled between the two torpedoes of water. They threw the pokemon behind her into disarray. Aria stopped swimming. She quickly put her rebreather back in. Whatever was going on wasn't good. Aria continued swimming to Styx. He reached out to her in urgency. A tentacle wrapped around her waist and pulled her in. Aria hung onto his helmet. Several other tentacles wrapped around her legs to hold her close. The tentacruel turned this way and that as if looking at something. She saw a large fin circle around them. Her body tensed. Two sets of paired yellow fins occasionally broke the surface. They were being circled, corralled. Under the water, carvanha snapped their jaws. They circled Styx and Aria like the sharks they would become. The sharpedo darted around. He became more savage with each second. Styx cautiously held his tentacles at the ready. He tried to keep eyes on all three pokemon at once but they were fast and agile.

The carvanha watched the tentacruel but kept their goal on Aria. She was the target. She was also the blind spot. The savage pokemon darted in and out hoping to get a mouthful of flesh or tentacruel. Styx fiercely batted them away with well placed jabs. It was like swatting at flies. Every time he struck one, their _roughskin_ ability kicked in. Aria stayed low against the surface of the water. She hugged as close to Styx as she could. She kept her head low and body more in the water than not in case one of the attackers jumped out. Styx had to sharply turn and spin to keep the carvanha away from Aria. The sharpedo watched from the shadow of the water. He waited for his chance. Styx batted away one carvanha and then the other in a succession of attacks from one side. Sharpedo shot into the fray faster than the devil. He struck Styx with a heavy _crunch_ to the edge of his helm. The hit jarred the tentacruel and separated Aria from him just a few inches. It was enough for a carvanha to ram in between. He snapped down with a _bite_. Aria winced as his _roughskin _grazed her_. _Something jerked her down under the water by the pant leg. Styx punched at the sharpedo attached to his helm. He knocked the brutal pokemon off but not out.

The distraction worked.

Aria dropped beneath Styx faster than he could stop it. He sank and extended his elastic tentacles. They wrapped around Aria's upper half and arms. Using her like a sling, he pulled himself down. He knocked carvanha off her foot with a _hydropump_ in the form of a gunshot. Styx pulled Aria up into his mass of tentacles. The carvanha he struck feinted. The others capitalized on his feinting. Sharpedo struck Styx with a _dive_ to the helmet. The second carvanha tore into his tentacles for Aria like a seal in a school of fish. Styx winced. He jerked and batted them away.

Aria could feel Styx's anxiety. He could not fight seriously while holding her in his tentacles or just protecting her. She had to become useful, an extension of him. They had to treat this like a real pokemon battle not just a frantic fight for their lives. She had her rebreather. They could do this right. Aria lassoed her fear. She pounded on the underside of Styx's helmet and tugged a tentacle. The tentacruel ignored the request. Aria tugged again and showed no intention of leaving the safety of his shadow. The trooper maneuvered in between Styx's two blue pincers and curled into the tightest ball possible. Styx carefully closed them around her. They would hold her steady. Aria traced a circle on the armor of the pincer. Styx understood. His movements changed. They became more controlled and calculated. The two became a dangerous combination of trainer and pokemon. Styx loosened his tentacles. Fusing _poison jab_ and_ surf_ Styx began to spin. Each appendage was lathered in a purplish poison. He spun faster and they extended farther out. The tentacruel became a poisonous shuriken. He threatened to cut down any pokemon that approached.

A circular current began to form around him. A bubble of controlled water formed. Styx abruptly stopped and stiffened his tentacles. He threw out the sphere of water like the epicenter of an explosion in another combination move. Sharpedo and the two carvanha were thrown back by the wave. They feinted in residual poisoning and the force of the attack. Dizzy, Aria tapped Styx. He released her and the trooper swam out from underneath him. Aria knew it was a good idea to experiment combo moves. She could not see much, aside from the pale reflective glow of Styx's helmet turning to her. Neither of them saw the second torpedo until it shot past Styx and bit into Aria's shoulder and upper arm. Aria gasped in pain. She lost her rebreather and swallowed a mouthful of water. Sharpedo readjusted his bite. He furiously pulled Aria in the direction of the ship. Styx would have shouted Aria's name if he could have. He threw out his limps and grabbed Aria's legs before she was out of reach. He felt her blood in the water. This was the exact reaction sharpedo expected after watching the others fight. He lusted for the tentacruel's defeat. Sharpedo immediately let go of Aria and shot for Styx.

The tentacruel was not the same as before. Its eyes went white. Its orbs erupted in red light as if turning the whole ocean to blood. Styx threw Aria up to the surface. He used a condensed _surf_ to propel his body forward. The tentacruel tipped his helmet and crashed straight into sharpedo's nose. The brutal pokemon became disoriented. He was helpless. A critical _poison jab_ put him into a feint along with a poisoning. Styx wrapped the brutal pokemon in his tentacles, spun, and used another pump like _surf_ to shoot the pokemon out of the water like a toy. Had Aria not broken the surface and distracted him with a fit of coughing and gasping, the tentacruel would have pursued the pokemon and killed it. Aria grabbed her shoulder. She cried out in pain now that she could. Styx's eyes returned to normal. The light of his orbs dimmed. He hurriedly floated to the surface. With one shoulder stabbing with pain, the other arm trying to hold it, and a knee that could no longer handle the stress, Aria struggled to stay afloat.

Styx's helmet came up beneath her. Aria tried to grab it but slipped off as he rose above the water. She did not have the strength to hold on. Aria started to cry. She was hurt. She was scared. She couldn't see anything. The salty water burned her wound worse than a blowtorch to bare skin. She didn't know where she was. It was cold. She was tired. Aria slumped onto the edge of Styx's helmet. He slipped his tentacles around her in a hug like embrace. He held her up against him so that she did not have to swim. It was also a means of comfort. Never before was their embrace so warm.

Now that he had Aria close again, Styx looked up and around. They had traveled far from the ship, enough to see its whole profile but nothing moving around on deck. Several boats were coming towards it with flashing red and blue lights. There were several water and flying pokemon with them. There was even a helicopter with a spotlight on the ship. A wailmer hugged the side of the ship to keep it afloat. Aria looked back but had no idea if it was a rescue or oncoming battle. There was no way she was going back. She had been attacked by both the police and Dragon Fang or whoever they were. She did not trust them. They could mistake her for a criminal again. Aria looked away. She saw the lights of the boardwalk. It was the closest beach. Aria did not have to whisper her commands. Styx was already floating away from the boats. There was no way he was going to bring her back to that madness even if she ordered him to. They went unnoticed in the cover of night. Styx intended to keep it that way. Aria was in his embrace. That was the safest place she could be.


	20. SS Surf Arc: 5

S.S. Surf Ark: 5

The chaos of the S.S. Surf bled out into the night.

Several people occupied a rather large and luxurious office space. Wardrobes lined the walls off to the sides. Shelves fitted with books and various figurines kept the intellectual eye keen. Old style electric lamps were spotted in-between to light the room in swanky and somewhat mysterious ways. Expensive black furniture gave it an aristocratic flare. A heavy set wooden desk was the focal point of the room. It was hand crafted and carved by artists. A sleek computer was on top of the desk with a total of three neatly arranged screens. A glowing city was the back drop. It was viewed through large glass windows. One of two doors opened into the room. They were carved to match the desk. A woman carrying a folder stepped in. The man standing in the middle of the room turned around to look at her. He was middle aged with a trimmed mustache and beard. He was dressed in a suit, short, and modeled with a heavy build. His features favored a scowl. It made people uneasy when he smiled. His name was Albert Hedgecoach. He was the boss of the Dragon Fang Criminal Organization. The group had the class and style of a mob while dealing widely like a gang. They were one of most influential criminal branches in the region. They dealt with just about everything in both blue and white collar crime even though they were more blue than white. They had a reputation for violence and holding a grudge. The woman who walked in immediately demanded his attention. She was, after all, one of the prettiest personal assistants he had ever seen. Raine was the best in her field.

"I am sorry for the intrusion," Raine began. "But there's been a complication."

Across the room, a gentleman put on a sarcastic and unsurprised smile. He stood looking out into the cityscape.

"Now I wonder how that might have happened," the gentleman said.

Liam Valenis turned from the window to face his office.

"I warned you Mr. Hedgecoach."

"Are you accusing my organization of this?" Albert spat. "It was you who suggested using the Surf."

"I did and for good reason. But I warned you about putting that much cargo on the ship with so many men. But you insisted to continue," Liam said.

He spoke calmly and wore an "I told you so" smile in the corner of his lips. The CEO of the Greyblades casually walked to the front of his desk. He leaned against it and crossed his arms over his chest. The stress and fear in Albert's eyes told him that a complication meant trouble and trouble meant a mistake.

"Don't tell me you put it all on at once?" Liam continued.

"This-this doesn't have anything to do with the shipment. It's just a small delay, that's all," Albert tried to justify.

Dragon Fang and the Greyblades were currently in the process of some rather sensitive trading. They had a deal in place. Dragon Fang would supply three pallets of their newest product, a new and powerful pokemon steroid, to Mile City. Once it arrived, the Greyblades would help fund its research and development. Dragon Fang would help test it and they would share in the profits once it hit the market. It was a fairly balanced deal, if all went according to plan.

"If it was something as simple as engine trouble or a traffic jam, my assistant would have declared it a delay. Complication means someone or something has been compromised," Liam explained.

Albert's face flushed with hot embarrassment. He had put the entire load of the product on the ship and extra soldiers to protect it. Liam had advised many small trips with less cargo and men to avoid detection. Albert reused to show that he had made a mistake. He would not give Liam the satisfaction of being superior.

"Why you-,"

"Now, let's not get too excited. Let's give the woman a chance to explain," a third party cut in.

The third man was seated in one of the leather chairs next to Albert. He was younger than Liam by several years. He was Albert's son, Alexander. He wore a fitted black suit with the same air of wealth as his father. The man's gaze lifted off of Albert and fell onto Liam. He was to take over the business after his father. Alexander was prepped for the job ever since he was old enough to read and write. In some aspects, he was already better than his father in social relations, manipulation, and scheming. There would be an eventual coup but Alexander was smart. He was building a solid base while his father grew old and sloppy. Albert would fall and Alexander would swoop in for an easy kill. Liam foresaw all of it. He expected Alexander wanted to roast him as much as his father. But things were stable now. Liam was not concerned. Alexander was still cocky and inexperienced. He had money, women, and good looks. He relished in those things. It made him take risks and make mistates. For someone with wolf eyes like Liam, Alexander was still a rooster strutting around in his pen. Liam motioned for Raine to continue with her report.

"Somehow, the shipment on the S.S. Surf has been compromised," Raine said. "There was a police presence on the ship. They were planning a raid but it was interrupted."

Hedgecoach turned to Liam.

"How the hell did they know about the shipment?" he yelled. "You said it was safe!"

"Like I said before," Liam firmly stated. "I advised small shipments. With so many tourists on a cruise, things get lost and miscounted all the time. No one would have expected a thing."

The CEO lost some of his sarcastic playfulness. Alexander watched, learned, and imitated. He had a lust for power and secret rivalry against the Greyblades but he was smart enough to use the CEO as a role model. Only Liam could handle such underhanded dealings while keeping his hands utterly spotless with the reputation of a celebrity. There was a reason he was never caught.

"It could be possible," Alexander said, "that the police were watching our warehouses. We moved a large shipment of product and although they could not deliver a warrant to search it, on tourist cruises like the Surf, they have the authority to do random security checks. They could have been waiting for an excuse to launch a raid. And with all the men you put to guard it, they had their chance."

Alexander talked smoothly. He wanted to illustrate his intelligence to Liam and subdue his father's pride before it humiliated them both. Liam was somewhat grateful Alexander was more witted than his father. There was nothing worse than doing business with a tyrannical uneducated crime boss that made too many mistakes. There was always the potential for backlash against Liam and his company. There was a reason Liam limited his business with Dragon Fang. Alexander's insight also illustrated his potential. He would be a threat in the future. Alexander had the cruelty of his father to match his wit. That was a dangerous combination. Alexander's words help calm his father. It was at times like this when Albert was glad he brought him along. Far too often had he ruined good deals and relationships for ego.

"What's the situation now?" Albert growled.

Raine stepped aside from the door. Another woman came in carrying several folders. She was another one of Liam's personal assistants and had the same classy confidence as her mentor. She walked past the others straight for Liam. He subtly motioned for her to wait at his side.

"We have reports that grunts are engaging the police. There's a lot of disorganized information. We are still trying to process it all. As of right now, the grunts have control of the ship. The coast guard and police are being dispatched as we speak," Raine continued.

Albert cursed under his breath. He paced a few steps before choosing one of the back up plans he had prepared.

"Tell the men to drop whatever they are doing. Withdraw all pokemon, free any hostages. Tell them to blend in. They were just defending themselves in the chaos. And tell them to keep their goddamn mouths shut until the lawyers arrive," he instructed his son.

Alexander took it under control with a single text. It was a good plan. If the whole thing started in confusion then there would be minimal loss. They would lose the shipment but that was easy to replace. Reliable men were not so easy.

"Well, this turn of events undoubtedly puts a strain on our deal," Liam said.

Albert's face started to grow red again. This was more than just a little strain. Something like this could maim the Dragon Fangs.

"And I'm sure you'll deny all involvement," Albert said.

"The Greyblades have nothing to do with this little escapade. We merely suggested means for a peaceful ride across the strait."

"Are you hanging me out to dry Valenis?"

"I'm saying one should clean up their own mess."

Liam's eyes narrowed into points. He would do nothing to soil his company's legitimacy as a gesture of kindness to a sloppy gang boss. Albert was a business asset, not a friend. If business was bad, Liam would not hesitate to drop them. Alexander put down his drink. He stood to intervene before things turned sour.

"Gentleman," he said while fastening his coat jacket. "This is a dilemma for the both of us."

Alexander let his gaze linger on Liam as he spoke. The problem did not have equal severity. Liam was too smart to allow his company to get caught doing the dirty work. All of the heat would fall on Dragon Fang and they all knew it. But Liam was too powerful to insult blatantly. It was also unwise to show how weak Dragon Fang was at handling their business.

"I know it is an inconvenience but due to the circumstances, I think its best we focus on what should be done next. Obviously, this transaction is void but let's not get ahead of ourselves and disregard our deal."

Liam remained silent. Albert regained some of his senses. Alexander excelled in social manners. Liam would have to remember that.

"I'm sure that our future endeavors will avoid such interruption. I hope that it will not tarnish Dragon Fang's relation with The Greyblades. Today was just misfortune manifest."

"Indeed," Liam said.

Alexander put a hand on his father's shoulders to guide him to the door.

"If you would excuse us Mr. Valenis, but there are items that need to be addressed. We will have to continue this meeting at a later date," Alexander finished.

Liam gave a slight nod of his head. Alexander and his father left the room. Raine closed the door behind them. The young tyrant had done well to hide the magnitude of their situation. This was a serious mess for Dragon Fang to clean up.

Alexander took the lead out of the elevator. They walked to the car waiting for them. Albert was still fuming. He was furious over his poor planning, loss of product, and how Liam had witnessed all of it. Albert hated Liam to the core. The CEO always thought he was better because he owned a wealthy enterprise that did not have to hide from authorities. Albert felt like a fool for relying on his son to step in. It undermined his authority and made him feel like a child. Albert wanted nothing more than to shove it all down Liam's snooty little throat. He would show Liam the power of the Dragon Fangs. Albert slowed as one of his attendants came up. Alexander continued and stepped into the car.

"Sir, there is a problem with the Surf deal," he said.

"I know, you don't have to tell me," he spat.

"There is something else."

This caught Hedgecoach's attention.

"We believe that some of our information has been leaked. There were details about the time and place of the transaction that were kept confidential."

"So we've got rat," Albert hissed.

"Several of our men claim to have encountered a passenger that fought back. Lieutenant Boyd said he encountered that same woman in the streets before departure and again in the cargo hold. He would have detained her but the hold flooded."

"So what, is she dead?"

"We are unsure but we do know that a woman jumped off of the ship and into the strait. That would either be madness or-,"

"-desperation. Seems like she didn't want to get caught."

Albert's eyes narrowed.

"Find the woman," he said. "She sounds suspicious. She could be an informant or undercover cop. Either way, she might have some information about what the hell happened. We won't be able to talk to our guys on the ship so easily now that the coast guard's been deployed."

The attendant nodded. He was already on the phone with the arrangements.

"I don't like loose ends," Albert added as he stepped toward the car and put a hand on the door. "Clean them up."

The attendant swallowed hard.

"Yes, Sir."

Back in the office, Liam was tempted to sigh in relief when the doors closed. It took all of his patience to deal with Dragon Fang. He never liked Albert Hedgecoach. The boss before Hedgecoach had a little more class and was the real strength behind Dragon Fang's reputation. Liam sought business with him, not the one who suddenly and suspiciously took his place. Liam kept his eyes on the door. His second attendant passed something off before leaving. Raine gave her a nod of approval and took her place at Liam's side.

"I want the ship's roster and surveillance footage," Liam said.

"Already done," she said. "Most of the action is over already but I can connect you with the life feed if you want."

Raine handed over to folders. Liam valued knowledge. He kept everything under lock and key. Raine knew about the incident the moment it started. Surveillance and reconnaissance was one of the Greyblades' specialties. Liam took the papers. He would have to take some time to think if dealing with Dragon Fang was worth the expense. So far, on their first major deal, there were complications. If this was going to be a trend, Liam was considering other options. This was not the best way to start off a new relationship.

"I'll have the tech team gather the video," Raine continued.

Liam remained attentively silent. He straightened his back and opened the folder. He wanted to know exactly what happened and why before deliberating any further. Raine did not need praise to know that he respected her and was grateful of her service. She smiled as she turned for the door.

"Don't think too hard now, Liam," she said. "I'm already starting to think you might be psychic."

Liam looked up to her quizzically. Raine was surprised by the expression. She thought Liam knew what she was talking about, that's why he had asked for the file several days ago. She was mistaken. In that case, Liam's intuition was just as sharp as his fashion sense.

"Ship's roster, second page," Raine explained.

She grabbed the handle and stepped outside. Liam looked down to the folder. He lifted the first page of the roster. Raine had highlighted a name. Liam's eyes were glued to it.

"Aria Wicket," he read in disbelief.


	21. Garden Cruise Arc: 1

Garden Cruise Ark: 1

Aria did not know how long they floated but it was long enough for her to calm down and think. Styx swam for shore. With the current in their favor, they were making good time. Aria stayed silent. She hugged Styx's helmet. The calm ripple of the water helped gather her thoughts. The trooper tried to piece together the situation. It happened so fast. The pain in her body kept her from thinking about it too hard. Her knee and shoulder were the worst. Aria could not feel the blood soaked into her shirt. The bit was not horribly deep. No chunks of flesh were missing. Damage was minimal but it did not stop the pain. It was similar to how a paper cut stung worse than the actual damage inflicted. The cold water dulled the pain but Aria was on the verge of shivering.

Styx made his way under the moonlight away from the boardwalk. He aimed for a small strip of beach. It was deserted for the night. The tentacruel swam up into the shallows. His blue pincers dug into the sand to hold him steady in the surf. He sat Aria on the sand and released her from his grasp. Aria shifted onto her knees. She took her time trying to stand. She was stiff from staying curled up in the cold water. Aria stood in the surf. She looked around. The trooper cradled her wounded shoulder. The end of the boardwalk was to her left. The strip of beach opened up to her right. It was narrow. Dunes and beach front business properties were in front. Fancy hotels were further down the beach. Aria had never been here before but at least she knew she was still in Garden Cruise. The adrenaline in her system kept her moving. The trooper's first thought was to find shelter and warmth. She was drenched and standing in the chilly night air. She was weak and nauseous.

Aria looked back to the water. She could see the feint glow of Mile City but nothing else. The fear and distrust she experience tickled her paranoia. She could not go to the police. They would think she was crazy. The trooper started up the beach. She stopped to withdraw Styx. After the great ball closed, she held it to her chest and kissed it. Aria snapped the ball back into place and checked on the others. Everyone was in place. She continued up the beach. It was slow going with her knee. It gave her time to think of a plan. She would go to the nearest pokemon center. That was where her instinct told her to go. From there, she could get food, a bed, and heal her pokemon with little questions asked. Maybe then, she could piece things together.

Aria was not the only one still trying to understand what had happened. The S.S. Surf was in rough shape. It was surrounded by police and coast guard boats. It was afloat with the help of several wailmer. There were several holes in the hull that had to be repaired and bays to be pumped free of water. Many corridors were damaged in some way. Walls were smashed. The cargo was destroyed. Theft had taken place along with a wider set of issues. There were injuries, mostly from those who engaged or were caught in pokemon battles. There were no fatalities.

Police Lieutenant Mickey Hartwell was on deck. He was surrounded by groups of frazzled passengers and his officers trying to keep them calm and organized. So far, all the information he received was muddled with panic, broken by speculation, and riddled with confusion. He did not know how or why his raid on a supposed Dragon Fang shipment had gone so awry. Several people were arrested, some with Dragon Fang apparel. But most were in plain clothes. When suspected of being a member, they claimed harassment and self defense in the confusion. Mickey could hold them for now but he was beginning to feel that most of the charges weren't going to stick. The raid was a complete failure. Most of the evidence in the cargo bay had been destroyed in the flooding or by some other means.

"Captain Marshall," he said as he came upon a woman in police uniform.

Her name was Lucy Marshall. She was the one overseeing the raid and proud owner of a Blastoise among other pokemon.

"Please, tell me you know what the hell happened tonight."

"We don't have all the details yet, but it seems our presence on the ship was compromised before we could start," she said. "There were more Fangs than we thought. They were dressed in plain clothes like many of our officers. We believe one of them stumbled into one of ours and overheard something that made them suspicious. Word must have spread because we soon started engaging them across the ship."

Lieutenant Hartwell sighed. It was too early to get the answers he was looking for if ever at all. He would have to wait for all of the officers' reports to come in. He had plenty of witnesses but they were still taking statements. There would be a lot of information to sort through. The best Mickey could do now was deal with the more pressing safety issues.

"Do you think it's possible that there's a-,"

The frustrated lieutenant waved away her speculation. He did not need any more theories, just facts.

"What injuries do we have?" he said.

"Several of our boys were beaten up with mild or minor injuries. There were two critical cases, one being Officer Jenkins and the other a suspected Fang. They're on the chopper now, ready to go to the hospital."

"Make sure Jenkins wakes up to one of his own and keep an officer with the Fang for precaution. What about civilians?"

"There were several minor injuries, one or two mild after being involved in a pokemon incident. Most of the violence was directed at our officers. At least they were smart enough to keep the hostages out of it."

Mickey nodded. It was one less thing he had to worry about.

"But," Marshall said as if reading his thoughts. "We have one report of a suspected missing passenger."

She motioned over to a group of civilians further along the boat. There was a man with no shirt refusing a blanket, a sailor, and a traumatized man among others.

"One of the crewmen was worried because one of the passengers he was with never showed up at their rendezvous point."

"Well, do they know where they went?"

"The sailor claims she went back for something in the cabin area but he didn't say much more. All we know is that it is a woman by the name of Aria, no last name. We think she is a pokemon trainer. We did a sweep of the ship and found nothing, not even in the wreckage."

The Lieutenant paused. The name sounded familiar.

"Where have I heard that name?" he asked.

Sergeant Marshall felt the same when she first it heard it. Now that the lieutenant brought it up, it came to her.

"That was the name of a person of interest back in Boulder," she said.

"Well, she just went from person of interest to suspect number one. If she's not on the ship then she must have escaped and probably with a reason. I want her found, immediately."

Sergeant Marshall rushed off to start the hunt. If Aria was a person of interest then they would already have a file on her. From there, they could track her digital footprint. Her pokemon's energy signature would be registered in the database. They could use a psychic pokemon with a _detect_ ability to help find her along with other resources. Lieutenant Hartwell turned around to look for the detective who engaged the suspect from the beginning. He found him addressing the concerns of a certain group of passengers.

"Please make sure you find her," Gary said. "The other officers keep saying they'll get to it but we haven't seen her on deck at all."

"There are rumors of a woman who jumped off the ship. What if it was her?" Neddy cried out. "What if she's lost in the ocean?"

"She's not lost so stop your cryin' already," Marcus added from the back. "She's probably already back on shore by now if it's who we think it is. If she's got pokemon like mine then-,"

"Don't worry," Raven said as he finished recording their statements. "I'll make sure we find her."

The musketeer meant what he said. He wanted to make sure Aria was alright just as much as they did. He also needed answers. His encounters with her were looking less and less like coincidences.

"Detective Snow."

Raven turned around at the call of his superior. Lieutenant Hartwell motioned for him to come over. The musketeer excused himself from the group. He walked over to the lieutenant tense and already aware of the subject of conversation. Mickey stopped him before he could speak.

"You better have one helluva explanation for this, detective," Mickey threatened.

He kept his voice at a whisper to keep his frustration down. Raven tried to say something but the lieutenant wasn't finished. He was too annoyed to let him continue.

"You're going with Sergeant Marshall to find this Aria and bring her in. Don't screw it up this time."

"Yes, Sir," was all he could reply.


	22. Garden Cruise Arc: 2

Garden Cruise Arc: 2

Aria glanced from left to right as she stepped out onto the street. There were several people scattered around the entrance of a bar a few blocks down but the area was relatively empty. She wanted to avoid as much contact as possible. Suspicion surrounded her: torn shirt, burned pants, drenched in water from head to foot, blood stains. Straightening up only did so much. Aria walked off her limp looking for refuge and quickly found what she was looking for. A red and white glow down the street signaled the location of a pokemon center. Aria felt like a shady criminal, in looks and edgy paranoia, as she walked down the sidewalk. Unease made her jog the last few steps. The door slid open and Aria walked in. It was a challenge to act normal. This center was of a different class than the one in Boulder. It was a state of the art facility for a city of tourists. It might as well have been a hotel and hospital combined. The clock ticked after midnight. It was too late for people to loiter in the lobby but not late enough to be suspicious. Aria approached the nurse at the reception desk.

"Hi, welcome to the pokemon center-oh, are you alright?" the nurse asked.

Aria's appearance was far from average. She played it off before the nurse could get upset. Chuckles from the hand of misfortune always lightened suspicion.

"I'm alright," Aria lied. "Just a little encounter with a wild pokemon. That's what I get for surfing at night."

Aria had devised the perfect cover. The nurse made a motherly expression of frustration and concern. Clearly, reckless trainers had come in the same way before, bruised, bleeding, and at odd hours. Some must have been worse than her. Aria was not accustomed to lying but this time it came easily. She was desperate to have her pokemon at her side. If the nurse did have any suspicions, Aria quickly put them to rest by ordering a full service stay. Her pokemon would be fully healed. She would stay in a room and have access to all facilities. It was not something an uncaring shady grunt would do. A credit card was exchanged and the reservation was complete. The pokemon center had a canteen, pool, laundry, and exercise rooms. Aria released Lopo and Rolo the moment they were healed. She waited until they were alone before petting, smothering, and praising them for protecting her on the Surf. They ate a small meal together before going to the laundry room. Aria took off her outer garments and dried them while the fire canines took turns watching the door. Instead of heading to the bunk room where trainers normally spent the night, the party went down to the pool. The safest Aria had felt the past few hours was with Styx in the water. She wanted that comfort again.

Two feet dangled over the edge of the pool with a first aid box nearby. Aria bandaged her thigh, shoulder, and any other injuries that bled. Styx remained close, hanging onto her legs while teasing the fire canines. In both human and pokemon, the high emotions stirred by the ship calmed. When treatment was done, more relaxed activities took place. Styx floated to the edge of the pool. Lopo carefully stepped aboard his helmet. It was his second time going for a ride. Rolo went for a round earlier but was content with just one. The two canines quickly learned how to tolerate water with Styx as their companion. He constantly splashed them, picked them up, and carried them around the pool, pond, or wherever he was at the time. He was not trying to be mean or assert his authority. It was his way of playing and showing his affection. To resist normally meant poisoning or a soaking. Aria smiled at her pokemon warmly. To have such peace felt like a dream. The clock ticked past one in the morning. Aria's eyes grew unbearably heavy. She slept and rose with the sun. Staying awake now that her adrenaline had settled was near impossible. She started to nod off and tip over. Rolo lightly whined and nudged his trainer with his head. Aria straightened and rubbed her face. Styx returned and Lopo jumped off onto the concrete. It was time for all of them to get some sleep. Aria kissed Styx's helmet and withdrew him. She headed into the bunks with her boys. A cheap mattress and unfamiliar sheets never felt so comfortable.

Whether it was a slow night or there was an activity downtown, the bunk room was empty except for the three. Torpid fingers unhooked the black ball from its holster. Aria held the pokeball tightly to her chest like a child's favorite blanket. She snuggled into bed with a growlithe at her back and a houndour curled in the back of her knees. Their warmth penetrated the blanket. It instantly put Aria to sleep. The room was quiet except for the breathing of the three. No other trainers found their way in. It was not the same for pokemon. The darkness of the room was perfect. There was nothing but shadow along the floor, walls, beds, and desks. They were not still either. A shadow, darker and heavier than the rest, slipped inside the door. It traveled along the wall before transferring onto the floor, hugging every bump and crevice like oil. It found its way across the room to the only occupied bed.

It was too easy.

The shadow slowed when it climbed the bed frame like a sleeve. Extra precaution set in when a growlithe came into view. It slithered to the other side. The heavy folds of the sheets were perfect cover. It moved up and onto the blankets above Aria's chest. The shadow rippled and became dense. Something slowly rose out of it. Two dark purple, nearly black, points appeared. The shadow lifted and materialized into a dark mass. It wickedly smiled and opened its eyes. They glowed red for only a moment. The air cooled. The change went unnoticed by the internal fire of the two canines. A gengar looked down at Aria. She was unaware of the ghost on her chest. He cautiously glanced to the growlithe within kicking distance. A sneer turned up at Rolo before a smile fell back on Aria. It would have been smart to handle the puppy pokemon first but Gengar could feel Aria's dreams. They were so deep he practically smelled them. The taste of human dreams far surpassed that of a pokemon's. They were like drugs, giving a high unobtainable anywhere else. He wanted them more than what his orders demanded of him: find the woman who escaped the ship and disable her along with any pokemon. A growlithe was easy enough to handle, especially when it just woke up, was disoriented, and in the dark. The dreams freshly flowing underneath him were too tempting to resist. He would eat Aria's dreams before handling the pokemon. Gengar pointed his hands towards Aria. His eyes began to glow. He reached into her mind.

Ghostly fingers slowly moved as if in surgery. The expression on Aria's face began to change. Pleasant dreams became nightmares. She started to move in discomfort. Gengar searched for the inner thread holding her dreams together. He twined his ghostly energy around them and yanked them out. His hands snapped into fists and his eyes opened in a successful _dream eater_. Aria gasped and shot up out of bed. As she sat up, her scream of fright was suffocated by draining consciousness. Rolo awoke in a snort and jumped to the floor. Aria's eyes rolled back before they even closed. She limply collapsed back on the bed by the time Rolo hit the floor. Gengar rode Aria's lap as she moved. He went unseen by the growlithe. Rolo was did not expect the enemy to be sleeping with them. The enemy also never thought the shadows would turn on him. Gengar flinched as a _flamethrower_ hit him in the back. Its power was dulled with Aria so close. The smoking ghost jumped away to the floor. Lopo snarled and leapt onto his feinted trainer. The growlithe followed his gaze to the enemy and released a _flamethrower_ even though he could not see him in the dark. Gengar was too fast and rolled away. His figure was momentarily visible in the light of the fire. As the _flamethrower_ disappeared, so did the light, and the shadow was invisible once again. Rolo frantically glanced back and forth. The ghost came from the side like black lightning. A _shadow punch_ knocked Rolo to the side in a squeal. As one canine fell, the other took its place. Lopo struck in a _feint attack_ that sent the ghost reeling just like his brother. Lopo sharply barked. Rolo scrambled to his feet and rushed to the houndour's side. Their ears folded back in twin snarls.

Gengar sneered and slipped into shadow form. He became invisible in the dark of the room. Rolo instinctually panicked. A sharp bark from Lopo refocused him. The houndour knew what to do. Darkness was his ally. Lopo suddenly turned to the side in a small spurt of _flamethrower_. He whipped around to the other for a second. If there was a pokemon to spot a villain in the dark, it was a houndour. Each flamethrower stopped Gengar from approaching. The shadow pokemon was resilient. He shot up the wall and launched himself from it, striking Lopo in a _shadow punch_. It wasn't very effective. Lopo was instantly back on his feet. Rolo took his place and leapt at the shadow with a _fire fang_. It missed by seconds. Gengar laughed. He vanished again. Their weakness was easy to figure out. He knew where they wouldn't attack. In shadow form, he raced straight for the bed. The ghost jumped from its shadow like a demented clown and grabbed Aria's shirt. Using a _levitate_ ability he tried to pull her off the bed. A _fire blast_ birthed so hard and violent, Gengar thought he was staring into the jaws of a dragon. He slipped into shadow form. The _blast_ roared over Aria and hit the wall. It exploded in fire, flame, and debris. The pokemon center shook. The sprinkler system was dislodged and clogged. Several bunks scratched across the floor. One tipped over. Aria was tossed to the ground. Gengar slipped off of her. She awoke in a start as if from hypnosis. Her eyes were wide and dull. Logic and reason were gone. There was nothing but fear, shock, and terror. That was the effect of a dream eater on a human. Gengar tripped over his heels and fell into his shadow. A torrent of hell fire erupted from Lopo's mouth. It would have consumed the ghost had he kept his balance. There was no control, only rage created from the threat on his trainer's life.

The room went up in flames. Lopo snarled into a chase after the shadow pokemon. Aria was so drowned in fear and confusion that she did not recognize Rolo as he came to her side. The door to the bunk room was kicked in by a group of men in white and blue. They shouted and yelled. Aria screamed and shut her eyes from the intrusion that felt like a gunshot. It removed all restrictions on the fire canines. Gengar realized that he stood no chance. He was already on the verge of feinting. A crack in the floorboards was the closest escape. He slipped through it milliseconds before Lopo pounced on it. A _flamethrower_ erupted out of his mouth and went down into the floor. It splashed up on the wood and doused the houndour in his own flames, activating his _flash fire_ ability. Lopo turned to the door. Two pokemon materialized, a kecleon and a marill. Marill squirted a _water _gun into the room. Aria was sprayed with it. It felt like lava. She screamed and frantically tried to wipe it off. The fear of the _dream eater_ stole reality.

"Help," she shrieked. "Help!"

The two men shouted something. Aria pressed herself against the floor and cried. Lopo responded. Marill squeaked before a _fire blast_ pounded her into the wall. The building shook in another shower of fire and plaster. Rolo's _flamethrower_ pushed Kecleon and the two men out of the door. The fire canines turned for the door and their new adversaries. They did not understand what was going on but they did not have to. What they knew, what they felt, was that Aria was terrified beyond comprehension. She feared for her life. They would protect her from anyone and anything.

In a simultaneous _double team_ and _agility_, the fire canines launched into war.


	23. Garden Cruise Arc: 3

Garden Cruise Arc: 3

Red and blue lights splashed across the street. They spun back and forth in urgency, warning all who approached that danger was ahead. The sirens were quiet but the situation was anything but normal. Police cruisers lined the street in front of the ocean side pokemon center. A fire truck pulled in alongside them with its own barrage of white and red lights. The display was all too familiar for the detective as he stepped out of a cruiser. Raven cursed. Things were out of hand. They traced Aria Wicket's credit card to this pokemon center and it was up in smoke, literally. He hurried past the police barricade with a flash of his badge and walked into the lobby. Several officers loitered inside. Something was holding them back from continuing further in. A makeshift police command center was set up at the welcome desk. Sergeant Marshall was behind it. Two special team members loaded rifles at her side. One was filled with a tranquilizer, the other, not so much. Raven swallowed a chunk of lead. Aria would never use her pokemon as weapons, would she? The probation ball under her name came to mind. Sergeant Marshall looked up as Raven walked over to the desk.

"Sergeant," Raven said. "What's the situation?"

"Go see for yourself," she barked.

Marshall motioned toward a corridor guarded by a few officers. The chunk of lead in Raven's stomach digested and seeped into his muscles. He walked down the hall leading to the bunk room. The door was open and a policeman was on either side. They were poised as if under gun fire. The closest one to Raven was a friend, although neither took it as a joyous reunion. Raven leaned into the wall close to his friend.

"Tell me what's goin' on here, Mike," he said.

"About time you showed up, detective," Mike grunted. "This suspect of yours is giving us a hard time."

"So the whole precinct already knows she was my case. Word sure travels fast."

"You better believe it. She's hold up in the barracks. No one else in there but her, thank God, but she's got a houndour and a growlithe protecting her like she's the god damn gates of hell."

Raven felt the urge to smirk. It was Rolo and Lopo alright. It was also disheartening news. It meant that it was defiantly Aria and she was resisting arrest.

"Have you tried going in?" Raven asked.

"Those mutts won't even let us put our faces in the door. They were completely out of control in the beginning. After we retreated into the hall, they did calm down a little. We tried battling them but those two are a powerful team and aren't afraid to use powerful attacks. Sergeant ordered us to hold back to prevent any more damage to the building. There're still some fires in there and the walls are unstable so we can't go in recklessly."

"They attacked you on sight, without any provoking?"

"Well, yes, but . . ."

His hesitation was important. It meant that Mike was reluctant to say something, reluctant because he had a feeling that something was wrong. If something was wrong, it was out of place. If it was out of place then they could be building the foundation of a counter measure on faulty information. They were preparing to shoot when they needed to negotiate.

"Talk to me, Mike," Raven urged.

"I was one of the first guys on the scene," he explained. "Me and my partner barely made it to the lobby when we heard fighting and an explosion. We ran over here, kicked in the door, and found those two canine pokemon with the room on fire. There was a woman on the floor so we released our pokemon to contain the situation. I had my marill put out the fire and before we knew it they were coming for us. My partner almost got a _fire fang_ to the arm."

"So they haven't tried to come out and she hasn't tried to communicate at all? No negotiations or threats?"

"No, she was screaming earlier but then stopped and was crying for a while."

"Did you even think that maybe she was screaming because she was hurt or scared?"

It all sounded suspicious. The fires were probably the result of the canines. The woman on the floor must have been Aria. The question was, why set the room on fire? Was it on purpose or an accident, maybe even a battle? With that kind of power, Aria could have escaped before backup arrived just like she did on the boat. There was something strange going. If Rolo and Lopo didn't leave the room, then Aria must still be in there. And if she was crying, she must be hurt or upset in some way. The musketeer's blood began to boil. Mike glanced away in shame now that he heard how it sounded. It was quickly becoming a misunderstanding. The rifles and special team members in the lobby came to mind. This was spinning out of control. Raven's instincts about Aria flooded back to him.

"Do you have eyes on them?" Raven asked.

Mike shook his head.

"The power is out in the room from the damage. All we know is that those two pokemon will incinerate anything that comes through that door."

Raven scoffed through his teeth. The officers were too worried about their own skin to properly assess the situation. He maneuvered to the other side of Mike. It was time to take control. Raven hugged the wall close to the door. He motioned for the officer on the other side to remain quiet and still.

"Aria," Raven called from behind the wall. "Aria, its Raven."

There was no reply.

"We met in Boulder, at the festival, remember? And on the magnet train."

Silence.

"Aria, can you hear me?"

Raven slowly turned his head around the corner to take a look inside. The room was smoky and darkened. The light from the hall was the only real source of illumination. Parts of the room were still smoldering. It cast an eerie orange red glow over several spots. There was an outline of a growlithe that smartly hugged the shadows. Raven retreated and put his back against the wall again. He didn't see Aria anywhere near the door. It only furthered his suspicion that something had happened to her and her canines were only protecting her. Raven took another cautious glance inside. He spotted Lopo only as he darted in front of the orange glow of reminiscent flames. It was spooky. Raven hurried back behind the wall. Old memories began to resurface. They were repressed by the mission at hand. Raven formulated a plan that did not involve the Sergeant rushing the room with a S.W.A.T. team. He saw things going very badly from there. Mike was the first to receive instruction.

"Tell the Sergeant I've got an idea how we can get in there without any more damage," Raven said.

Mike nodded. He was more than happy to move away from the front lines.

Inside the room, Lopo and Rolo carefully watched the door. They were ready to attack should another human or pokemon step inside.

"Lopo," they head someone call. "Hey boy, you remember me don't ya? I gave you a bag of treats to share with Aria."

The houndour raised his head. He felt as if he recognized the voice. A black nose went into the air to try and sniff out the source. Raven was on the other side of the wall with several officers at the ready and one special team member with a rifle. Sergeant Marshall was on the other side of the doorframe with a pokeball in hand. Raven glanced disapprovingly to the man with the rifle next to him. He continued with the plan. Raven pulled out a pokeball and a chimecho materialized in front of him. The wind chime pokemon put a soft ring to the air.

"I remember you, Lopo," he said. "I know you're a good pokemon. I also know that you love your trainer and would do anything to protect her. I'm not here to hurt her. I just want to help keep her safe."

Raven nodded at his chimecho. He had already given her instructions. She wiggled her little arms and twirled her tail.

In the darkness of the room, Rolo came to Lopo's side. They was unsure what this human was trying to accomplish. The human was a little unsure himself. Raven could tell that the other officers were judging him. It was clear by some of their faces. He was negotiating with a pokemon as if it was a human. It was ridiculous to allow the fire canines so much control but this was the approach that they understood. This was how Aria interacted with them, as equals. Pokemon were smarter than what the world gave them credit for. Aria understood this.

"I don't know if Aria told you or not, but on the train, she told me how the three of you met. She even asked about my own pokemon."

Raven nodded to Chimecho. She muttered something enthusiastically before swaying her tail in a short song.

"Did you hear that, Rolo, Lopo? That's Belle. She's my chimecho."

The fire canines heard the song. It was strange considering how things had progressed so far. The wind chime pokemon played a little more before Raven started again.

"What do you think? Nice isn't it? Aria would like it wouldn't she?"

Lopo and Rolo's hearts sank in sad agreement. Lopo looked away from the door to a dark corner of the room. He hoped Aria could hear but the corner's quiet shudders continued. She would have like it. The houndour's head dropped. Rolo kept his eyes on the door. This human had tapped into their souls through his speech, use of their names, Aria's name, and Aria's presence. Raven looked to Marshall. She nodded her approval. He urged Belle into the doorway. Nothing happened. Belle continued to play some music. She moved a foot or so into the room. The officers held their breath. Lopo looked up as she entered but did nothing. They all listened to the music for a few minutes. The tension in the room diminished. Lopo and Rolo calmed. Their fury gave way to sadness and worry for their trainer. Even the officers outside relaxed a little. Belle looked back to Raven. He motioned for her to proceed with phase three. Belle flawlessly continued and moved a little closer. She _yawned_. A sudden wave of quiet heaviness filled the room. Those closest to the door closed their eyes and covered their ears to avoid falling prey to it. Rolo and Lopo became sleepy. They eyelids began to drop.

"Lopo, Rolo," Raven said in a tone even softer than before. "I'm coming in now."

The human suddenly sounded like a long lost friend. Rolo tottered on his paws. Raven slowly stepped into the doorway. He wanted the canines to see him. This way, they would not be scared by the sudden presence of humanity and fight off their sleep. Lopo yawned and sat down. Rolo sprawled out onto the floor. Raven carefully approached. Belle floated next to him, slowing her song with each note. He knelt down next to Rolo and gently stroked his back. Rolo sighed heavily and succumbed to sleep. Lopo took longer to go down. He attempted to stay upright but his paws began to stretch out in front of him like a slipping puppy. Raven touched his shoulders to make sure he did not fall over. The houndour smelled the feint odor of chocolate on his hands. It reminded him of festival fireworks with Aria. It was enough to put him under. The canines were both fast asleep. Raven let out a shaky sigh as he looked between them. His plan had worked. Belle stopped ringing. There was a similar but loud sigh from the hall. The rest of the officers started muttering to each other. Raven's glare threw them back into silence. If the canines woke up, it would ruin everything. Raven moved further into the room as two officers came in to administer further tranquilizers. His job wasn't done yet. Aria was still missing. He spotted her on the far side of the room. His relief was short lived. Gentle caution was still needed. Raven approached her slowly. He kept his footsteps as quiet as possible. Aria was in the corner, on the floor, next to a bunk bed as if it were a barricade. She sat with her knees tucked tightly into her chest. Her arms wrapped around them. They hid her face. It was an extreme posture of distress. Raven proceeded with the utmost delicacy. He knelt down to Aria's level.

"Aria," Raven gently called.

She did not respond.

"Aria," he said again. "Can you hear me? It's Raven."

He touched Aria's shoulder. She whimpered and flinched worse than a battered housewife. Raven pulled his hand away with a hard swallow. He did not realize how hard she was shaking until now. Aria was petrified. She was so lost in fear that Belle's _yawn_ had no effect. Her body sweat with terror. Raven looked around, trying to think of how to handle the situation. The other officers picked up Rolo and Lopo and removed them from the room. He still had some time alone with Aria but not for long. If the others came in and tried to move her, she would have to be sedated. Raven did not want to harm her any more than what was already done. A small chime resonated over his shoulder. It was Belle. She hovered over something on the floor. Raven looked at the object, then to Aria. He reached over and took it. It was cold and heavy. It was Aria's black ball. The red glow of the release was ominous against the backdrop of coal and embers. What he held in his hand was what the region deemed a weapon of mass destruction. Raven tried not to think about it. He may not understand the nature of the pokemon inside but Aria did. She saw something much gentler. If there was a way into Aria's soul, it was through her pokemon.

"This pokeball, it's yours isn't it? I can tell you love you pokemon. It's nice isn't it, holding them, napping with them, feeling them in your arms," Raven lied.

He paused to see if Aria would respond. The shaking persisted but one eye did rise from behind her bodily shield. Raven carefully placed the ball on the ground to face her.

"You've got to protect them, right? Spend time with them. Love them. Even if they're not at your side."

Raven mirrored the untold morals Aria revealed to him through her stories and behavior. She slowly peeked over her arms. Raven ducked his head low to catch her gaze. When he straightened, he pulled her with him. Aria's eyes were wide and frightened. Her pupils were overly dilated. Sweat dotted her brow. Tear stains ran down her cheeks. Raven smiled while looking her over in an inspection. Fear like this was not normal. It was too strong. It was powerful enough to withstand a pokemon attack. The best way to counter a pokemon attack was with a pokemon attack: chills, extreme fear and panic, sweating, they were all signs similar to a bad trip while on drugs. But from Raven's knowledge and experience, he could tell that these were the effects of a human hit by a _dream eater_. He had seen a few cases. When a human was hit with a dream eater, it was more psychological than physical. It was like they were living a nightmare. Hallucinations and fear consumed the soul. The effects could be compounded if the victim ever experienced a trauma. Permanent psychological damage was not uncommon. With Aria's recent experience on the S.S. Surf, Raven was fearful that she was wounded in ways he could not see. He was grateful to have found her. If the sergeant had raided the room, things would have been catastrophic. Raven held out his hand for Belle to come closer while keeping his eyes on Aria.

"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe," he told her. "Just focus on me."

Raven glanced to the chimecho.

"_Heal bell_," he whispered.

Raven was afraid that if he glanced away from Aria for too long, he would lose her. A delightfully pleasant hum rang out from the wind chime pokemon. It bathed Aria and Raven in a blue glow that faded with the sound. It purified their anxiety better than any tea or therapy. Aria closed her eyes with the sensation. Raven smiled. The move would not stop the nightmare she was living but it would suppress it and help lessen the _dream eater's_ potency. Aria's body relaxed. Her arms slipped out of their hold. Raven did not even have to order a second _yawn_. Aria was so mentally and physically fatigued that simple relief opened the door to unconsciousness. Raven caught her fall. It was finally over.

With Aria found and the situation contained, the seaside pokemon center fell quiet. Officers were replaced with firefighters. Raven carried Aria out of the building in his arms. He passed Sergeant Marshall without a word. The fire in the sergeant's eyes was tainted with embarrassment. Raven walked to the cruiser he arrived in. He did not talk to anyone as he passed by. Several officers disapproved of his treatment of the woman who almost burned them to a crisp. To them she was a suspect, not a victim. They wanted her handcuffed and in the back of a cruiser. One or two were different. He got a "good work, Detective" here or there. Officer Mike opened the back door to the cruiser. Raven put Aria inside and slipped in next to her. The door clacked shut and Mike got behind the wheel.

The sirens began to flicker off one by one.


	24. Garden Cruise Arc: 4

Garden Cruise Arc: 4

The night was reluctant to let go.

Alone at his desk, Liam Valenis carefully glanced between his three computer screens. They were filled with different angles of the S.S. Surf surveillance footage. It was centered on the movements of a single passenger, Aria Wicket. Liam watched enough to understand the context of Aria's involvement. It was choppy and chunks were missing but it was still valuable. Observation was a very powerful tool. Through the footage, he leaned that Aria trusted her pokemon without a shred of hesitation. She made sound judgments amidst chaos. Getting struck by a pokemon did little to instill panic. She had enough guts, or stupidity, to jump into a pokemon battle with her bare hands. And that did not even include her pokemon's behavior. The two fire canines were especially brilliant on the ship. They did not follow their trainer. They moved with her, fed off of her energy. It was easy for pokemon to exploit their trainer's weaknesses during times of violent confusion. The fire canines had no interest in doing so, in fact, they did the opposite. They protected Aria and it was with more than just devotion induced protection. It was calculated defense. Only once did the growlithe divert from Aria's control, and when he did, he was contained by the houndour acting as a medium of Aria's will. And how could Liam forget the tentacruel capable of manipulating water like a god? He had only caught a glimpse of Styx's water manipulation when Aria rose up to the second floor but it was enough to illustrate his level of power and control. It was fascinating. But there was one thing that did not make sense.

Why did Aria jump off of the ship into the strait?

It was odd. It was something a pokemon would do, not a human.

The video looped in continuous replay. Liam looked away to the file spread out on the table. It was filled with Aria's information: where she lived, worked, and went to school. Aria Wicket was a mountain dweller from birth in love with her town and job. She had excelled in school yet chose to stay in Boulder and work on the Con. She had love and loyalty for what she did. It took a certain kind of person to hike the mountains all day with no one but your pokemon, patrolling and protecting. Liam smiled. His interest in her was growing by the second. The pieces were falling into place. The more he thought about Aria, the more he believed that she was not a regular trainer.

She was a Pokemon Ranger.

Liam picked up a document and leaned back in his chair. A hand supported his chin and his thoughts. The paper was the most interesting and valuable piece of the collection. It was a copy of the police report from last year's pokemon festival in Boulder. Liam would have never thought that Aria had a record. Someone interrupted with a knock on the door. Raine came into the office.

"Sir, Aria Wicket was just discovered at a pokemon center along the Garden Cruise coast," she said. "Our inside source said it's highly likely she was attacked before the police arrived. There was a little trouble getting her into custody but they are bringing her to the nearest station for interrogation now."

"So the police believe she's a suspect," Liam muttered.

"You disagree?" Raine inquired. "She was involved with several interesting people."

"I think it's more of a wrong place, wrong time scenario. . . I want you to send someone from legal to where she's being held. I have a feeling the police are looking for a black sheep. And we can't leave the sheep out to the wolves, not without a few guard dogs to watch over them."

"I'll get our best man for the job and send him out immediately. He'll put up a fuss but I'm sure with our sincere apologizes, he'll gladly agree."

Liam shot her a mischievously delighted smile. His legal team was one of the best in the world and rightly paid for it. A few favors here and there were nothing. What troubled Liam was the police's inquisition into Aria. If the police were going to perform an interrogation then they must not have seen the surveillance footage yet. They believed Aria was a suspect involved with the failure of the raid. It was troubling news. She could be arrested and charged for something she did not do. On the other hand, it was hard to tell what she was doing on the Surf and why. The security footage made it hard to tell whose side she was on. Both sides targeted her often, she helped both, and confronted both. One theory could be that she was working for Dragon Fang. Aria did have a record. From Liam's interpretation of last year's police report, the festival incident was not given justice. Aria could have turned her back on the law because of it and joined Dragon Fang. She did own a black ball. Most trainers that did were not upstanding citizens. The police could have confronted her after she joined the organization and offered to cut a deal to have Sebastian released in turn for being an informant. Her last battle in the Surf's cargo hold seemed more personal than professional. But Sebastian's probation was almost over. Why would she strike a deal now? A second theory would make Aria an undercover cop. Her involvement could be traced all the way back to Boulder where the Greyblades and Dragon Fang were making a new deal. All options were possible, even the one that made her an innocent victim. Aria's reappearance now was either the result of terrible misfortune or treachery. Liam could not settle on the later. There was a lot of confusion on the ship when the fighting broke out. She seemed more like a hot potato between the sides rather than a combatant.

But what if his theories were completely off base? What if the police wanted Aria in custody for another reason? Liam tensed. He suddenly felt the pressure of competition. What if Dragon Fang or the police realized that Aria was a ranger? They would want to recruit, exploit, or remove her as a threat. Rangers were powerful and unique. What if they were fighting over her, and when things went south, wanted to remove her from the field all together? If they couldn't have her, no one could. Liam would never let them get what they wanted. Aria's talent was too rare and precious. He had seen her potential with his own eyes and was now certain of her status as a ranger. He could not let her play for any other team but his. Liam was highly territorial over the trainers he personally sponsored. In his world, he claimed Aria the moment he handed her the invitation to the Greyblades. It did not matter if she accepted his offer or not. Liam was not about to let Aria become a casualty of war between the police department and Dragon Fang. Liam's thoughts were so intense that they made Raine smirk.

"You fancy this trainer, don't you?" she said.

"You are an insightful woman, Raine," he replied.

Liam lightly chuckled. Raine was always so straight forward. She had been with him long enough to become more than just a superb assistant. There was no one Liam trusted more than Raine and there was no one Raine admired and respected more than Liam. Adding in their corresponding physical wealth, their relationship was playfully complicated. Liam rocked back and forth in his chair before getting up.

"Have you ever heard of a Pokemon Ranger?" he continued.

"If I'm not mistaken, they are pokemon trainers," she said.

"Yes but no. They are _the_ pokemon trainers. It's a title given to those who excel in raising pokemon. They are able to battle and communicate in a way that lets them draw out the full power of their pokemon. If a fully fledged ranger battled a normal trainer, the ranger would win every time. Do you know why? It's because of the strength of their bond. They tend to have their pokemon for years. As the pokemon strengthens so does the ranger. They grow together, filling in one another's weakness and forging a bond that practically lets them read each other's minds."

Liam casually strode over to the bookshelves filled with items he earned and acquired throughout his life. Some were ancient and priceless. He stopped in front of a feather on a stand in a glass case. The feather was forged from moonlight and coated in silver. It was flecked with deep sea salt and speckled by cloud ice. Liam unfastened something from the small of his back where a gun or a knife could have been. He held up a minimized friend ball.

"You dive into a completely different world when pokemon are involved," Liam began. "There is still so much that we don't know. There are even things about our own pokemon based technology that we can't quite understand. What we do know is that pokemon are capable of communicating and feeling beyond anything humans could ever achieve."

"A sixth sense," Raine identified.

"Researchers theorize that rangers connect with their pokemon so deeply because they have the ability to tap into and understand that sense."

"And you believe this Aria Wicket has this ability? That's why you're so interested in her?"

"Do you have any idea how much a ranger can accomplish?"

Liam returned the friend ball to the pokebelt around his waist. He turned and looked off into his thoughts with a smile rarely used honestly. It revealed astonishment in the subject and disappointment in Raine for her lack of understanding.

"Rangers are sought after more than any diamond, gem, or natural resource," he continued. "Rangers make league champions, gym leaders, and pokemon elite. Researchers, criminal organizations, and the police used to search them out as subjects, killers, and leaders. Their potential is unbelievably desirable. They are the golden goose when dealing with anything pokemon. Most of the time, rangers themselves don't have any idea how valuable they are until they get spotted by someone."

"And you want Aria before anybody else realizes and tries to make a move," Raine said.

Liam returned to his chair and made a motion that indicated she was correct. Raine smiled lightly. Sometimes it was hard to tell if Liam and the Greyblades were good or bad. A blade was a danger if used against you but a protective weapon in your own hands. It was a tool and a weapon, an asset and a danger, depending on the nature of the situation. Its existence was neither black nor white. It meddled in the gray. In this moment, it seemed to favor the lighter side. Raine highly doubted that Liam would use Aria for nefarious deeds. If anything, he would make her famous, respected, and provide her with a very successful career. Improving the name of the Greyblades was only a bonus. Liam was a highly influential and powerful CEO but he started as a pokemon trainer and never lost that part of him. He admired and respected Aria, and all other rangers, like a child would a superhero. The look suited him. Liam glanced over the footage and file again, leaving Raine to quietly fulfill her duties. Aria had several spotlights on her and Liam had to make sure she did not melt under the heat.

"Aria's probably scared out of her wits right now," he finished with a glance to Raine as she left the room. "She could use a guiding hand."

Raine nodded in agreement. There was no hand better than the Greyblades.


	25. Garden Cruise Arc: 5

Garden Cruise Arc: 5

The police station had a new occupant. It was not the usual vagabond and common criminal. Aria laid on a cot in a cell of the holding pen. It was closed in by three cement walls and a sliding door made of metal bars. She watched the officer at the desk through the safety of a blanket. She did not want him to know that she was awake just yet. Waking up in a strange place birthed paranoia. Aria grew up respecting the police but after the events on the ship and her past experience at last year's festival, her trust in them wavered. The officer at the desk got up and went out of view. The blanket pulled away and two legs swung over the edge of the cot. Aria examined the concrete walls of her cell. It all felt so dislodged from reality. Oblivion helped ease the anxiety of being behind bars. Knowing that she had done nothing wrong also helped. The police could not charge her for a crime that did not exist. But there was a lingering fear in the back of her head, hiding in her thoughts like a fake flower in a bouquet. She assumed its cold presence was just her nerves. She was wrong.

The holding area was quiet. The criminals of Garden Cruise must have taken the night off. It was the perfect chance to perform a physical inspection. Aria wore her original clothes although they were itchy and stiff from being wet and air drying. Her entire body was sore but that was an expected displeasure. Her skin was tender from bruising and the small cuts had stopped bleeding. The larger wounds were treated, especially the gash on her thigh and bite on her shoulder. Her clothes were torn to treat the wounds and put back together with desk staples. There were other holes and rips where bandages peeked through. Aria was far from looking her best but she would take it over being undressed. Being unwillingly touched on top of everything else that had happened might have pushed her over the edge. The dark spot in her mind would have only been too happy to give the final shove.

Aria stood up and adjusted her balance to compensate for the surge of pain through her leg. Her weight leaned to one side but the ache was manageable. It was nothing compared to hiking back home through the Con with a sprained ankle while carrying a houndour with a broken leg. Aria shuffled over to the bars of her cell. She was afraid to touch the slick germy grid. It was hard to see anything other than the desk near the opposite wall. The officer from before came back into the room. Aria instinctually shifted closer to the cement walls. She wanted to stay hidden for as long as possible. The officer brought a few items back with him. They were Aria's book bag and pokemon belt in an evidence bag. The belt was the most important thing. She honed in on it. Two slots were within view. One had a great ball. The other had nothing. A haunter might as well have snatched her heart. The dark spot in her mind began to move. It grew.

Where was Sebastian's pokeball?

The only thing Aria had to fight panic with was logic. She grabbed onto it with both hands. Sebastian was in a probation ball. The police probably put him somewhere else as procedure. But the doubt was already planted. What if this incident violated the terms of the probation? The fear born in the fires of a pokemon center rekindled. Only a few hours of forced sleep had passed. The effects of the _dream eater_ were still fresh. They latched onto Aria's innermost fears now that she was conscious. The empty slot felt like a void that was sucking out the vitality of life. It made Aria think of the slots on the other side. Whose to say Rolo and Lopo were in their rightful place? What if they were also put into probation balls? The intensity of Aria's gaze drew the officer's attention. He looked up and noticed that his charge was awake. Aria snapped out of her paranoia and tensed when she was spotted.

Was she supposed to say something? Smile?

She would have liked to ask what happened the past few hours and where she was but yelling through the bars seemed inappropriate. It didn't matter anyway because her confidence could barely put her voice above a whisper. The officer's next actions did not ease her worries. The first thing he did was pick up a landline phone, press a button, and wait for the call to be answered. The officer notified someone that Aria was awake and hung up the phone. Aria's heart raced. Things were going to start moving again and she was the focal point. The officer's continued silence and cold shoulder afterwards dissolved any hope Aria had of being friendly. _It will all be ok, I didn't do anything wrong_, she told herself. _Then why are they keeping me in a cell?_ Aria started pacing despite her injury. The security of the wall was too weak to hold her. Restless anxiety gnawed off her nail beds. Glancing to the pokebelt on the table was the only possible source of comfort yet it did nothing but intensify loneliness. Aria felt utterly naked and vulnerable without the belt around her waist. The darkness in her heart and mind spread further. It infected her soul. What if they considered what happened on the ship a violation of both her and Sebastian's parole? What if they never released him? What if she never got back any of her pokemon?

Aria grabbed a handful of her clothes. She pulled it tight and turned her back to the officer. Innocence squeezed her eyes shut. Reality filled them with tears. Years of suppressing panic when lost in the woods held them back. Aria relaxed her face and let go of her shirt. She took several deep breaths. It slowed the madness welling up inside of her. Holding back the _dream eater's_ terror was exhausting. Aria sat down on the cot and touched her shoulder. The pain made her nauseous. It was a good distraction. The minutes that passed felt like hours. The officer at the desk stood as somebody walked into the holding pen out of sight. Aria bit her lip. They were coming. She waited until the sound of feet stopped outside her cell before looking up. A woman in a blue and white uniform stood on the other side of the bars. She was the spitting image of strict justice from scowl to stance. Aria smiled in nervous friendliness. The woman's face was familiar but she could not place it. The feeling made her mouth dry out like the Kalahari. Sergeant Marshall did not acknowledge Aria's friendly gesture. All she saw was a suspect who had caused a lot of trouble for her and her officers. But the smile touched her more than she would have liked. This was not the first time Marshall received Aria's smile. The first happened right before Aria was blown away by Marshall's blastoise on the Surf. A twang of guilt replaced venom with sarcasm.

"Welcome to the 23rd precinct, Aria Wicket," Marshall said. "We've got some questions for you."

Aria nodded. She would answer any question they had. There was nothing to hide. Cooperation would not be an issue. She would do anything and everything to help so that she could get her pokemon and be on her way again. The officer from the desk came over and unlocked the door to the cell. He opened it, stepped inside, and pulled out a set of handcuffs.

"Wrists up," he ordered.

Aria's heart kicked again. She didn't understand. The officer grew impatient and motioned for her to obey. Aria silently raised her hands. The cuffs clicked together faster than she anticipated. The metal was cold and tight. Aria looked down to them. Her hands would have shook if not under the influence of astonishment. A hard metal noose wrapped around her neck. Aria did not feel the officer touch her shoulder. She did not resist as he guided her out of the cell into the custody of Sergeant Marshall. They left the holding area and went into another part of the building. Whatever safety net logic and reason Aria used to contain the madness and paranoia of the _dream eater_ pulled and snapped into a thousand brittle pieces.

The room they entered was filled with desks and detectives. The interrogation room, often called "the box" was just on the other side. It was all a jumble of sights and sounds to Aria. Raven walked toward the pair from the opposite way. He heard that Aria was awake but not that she was being processed. Raven had hoped to be the first one to talk to her. He drew closer and saw how wide eyed and pale Aria was. She looked incredibly frail and meek beside the confident and heavy handed Marshall. Aria was so overwhelmed that she did not even notice Raven when they passed by a few feet apart. She wore a similar look to the one Raven saw last night. It was disturbing. Marshall put Aria inside the interrogation room before Raven could question them. Aria shuffled in a few steps while Marshall paused inside the door. She glanced to the side and saw Raven glaring daggers at her from down the hall. The door closed promptly. Raven quickly slipped into a second door next to the entrance of the Box. It lead to the viewing room behind a one way mirror. The officer working the room only gave Raven a glance now that an interrogation was starting. Raven crossed his arms over his chest. He watched the two carefully.

"Have a seat," Marshall said.

Aria sat down in a metal chair facing the mirror. The metal table in front of her was just as cold and dead as the room around her. She could not raise her eyes as Marshall walked to the other side of the table with a file in hand.

"A lot has happened within the last 24 hours, don't you think, Miss Wicket? So let's cut the excuses and get right to the point. Why were you on the S.S. Surf last night?"

Marshall's voice was loud and sharp. It echoed even louder against the walls. Aria kept her eyes in her lap where her hands remained cuffed. The room had practically nothing in it but she was suffocating.

"I-I, I was going to Mile City," Aria stuttered.

"You're going to have to be more specific than that, Aria. The ship only goes from Garden Cruise to Mile City. Considering where you left port I'd say it was obvious where you were going."

Marshall's condescending tone fell like a second pulse of gravity. Aria's heart pounded harder against her chest. The box squeezed smaller.

"There's no point coming up with excuses. You've made an appearance in three phases of the same operation. Once, maybe twice, I would say are coincidence, but three?"

Aria's voice was choked by the black spot in her mind. Raven's stomach twisted. He rubbed his face and pulled his skin with it. Marshall was pushing hard, too hard.

"Do you not understand the charges you're facing?" she asked.

Marshall presented the contents of the folder in her hand. She spread several items out on the table. They were photos of burned walls, floors, and other damages to a pokemon center. The damage to the Surf Aria remembered, but this, this was new. Something stirred within her. It was dark, smoldering, and screamed with the face of a gengar. These photos were proof that her nightmare last night was real. The terror she experienced was not a dream.

"This is the damage your pokemon caused at the seaside center. You will get years for property damage, illegal use of pokemon, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer."

"But I didn't- the ship," Aria mumbled.

She was so confused. What were they showing her? She had hurt somebody? Tears rippled across her vision. She couldn't remember attacking the police only ghostly fire. Rolo and Lopo were not monsters. They did not destroy buildings like chew toys and set them on fire for kicks. Aria looked to her watch even though it was missing from her wrist. What time was it? She was supposed to be with Sebastian by now. Marshall saw the motion and called her out for it.

"What, you've got somewhere to be? Dragon Fang got you playing the currier?"

Marshall wasn't looking for answers. She wanted revenge for her men wounded on the Surf and redemption for her failed raid that took months to prepare. She wanted a sacrifice.

"Is that how you knew about the raid? You're their runner, aren't you?"

Aria's eyes were chained to her lap. They were wide and full as the moon. She was under attack. She needed her pokemon. They would protect her. Where was Styx, Rolo, Lopo?

"You're a snitch, just admit it. What are they offering, drugs and nice house out in the country?"

Sebastian, where was Sebastian?

_Sebastian, help me!_

"Here, let's call your superiors and tell them the police are on to you."

Marshall pulled out her cellphone and threw it on the table. Aria flinched and gasped a cry. It was too much for Raven to handle. Seconds later there was a knock on the door to the Box. Marshall looked to it and motioned for the man behind the glass to keep an eye on Aria. She exited the room and closed the door behind her. The knock was an annoying disturbance. She whirled around to find the culprit.

"What is it?" Marshall snapped. "I'm in the middle of an interrogation."

"Interrogation?" Raven questioned. "Is that what you're calling it because it sure looked like a slaughter to me."

"What do you think you're doing? You're the one that should have noticed she was a Fang in the beginning and prevented all this from happening."

"We don't know what she is, and at the rate you're going, we'll have the whole DA's office crashing down on us like a plague of fireballs."

"Don't criticize me, detective."

"Criticize? I'm calling you out."

"Cut the bullshit."

"You're practically torturing her. You've got a girl on the verge of tears in there, scared half to death. Even if she doesn't sue us for harassment, there's no way we can use anything she'll say in court. The judge would throw it out as a forced confession!"

"You're lucky I don't suspend you for disobedience."

The two suddenly realized how much attention they were attracting. The discussion had turned into a shouting match. They lowered their voices but it did not make the venom any less potent.

"I'm not trying to be disobedient," Raven said. "It's just, Aria's was struck by a _dream eater_ earlier this morning. Although we've used its side effects to our advantage before with the people who really deserved it, I don't think it's the right way to go this time around. You're going to cause some serious damage if you handle her like that. She's been traumatized enough in the last 12 hours don't you think? And what if she is just a victim? It would cost all of us our jobs."

"So what, you want me to just let her go? You know neither of us can do that," Marshall declared.

"I'm not saying to let her out on the street, but treat her more like a witness than a suspect."

Marshall chewed on the thought. Doubt pulled at her. In the beginning, Aria's body language did suggest that she was willing to cooperate. She wanted protection, security, and stability. A helping hand was offered and Marshall slapped it away with frustration, bias, and guilt. Lieutenant Mickey Hartwell appeared out of his office. The conversation had drawn his attention. It was not a good thing.

"Snow, Marshall, my office, now," he ordered.

The two exchanged regretful glances. They walked with him back into his office. The arguments over the situation were presented and explained. Lieutenant Hartwell listened to both of them. He thought it over from behind his desk. His gaze eventually fell on Raven.

"Alright Snow, you make a good point," he said. "If this Aria really is innocent than we've just about slit our throats with this. You will take over as point. Marshall, you will clean up the fall out of the raid."

Sergeant Marshall burned with humiliation. After hearing both sides, she realized just how horrendously she had handled the situation. She was not pleased to be removed from the case but it was a small price to pay for her reckless mistakes. A case of harassment like this could cost her everything: reputation, title, and confidence. Lieutenant Hartwell was being generous. He was willing to throw Marshall a bone because of the heavy yoke of responsibility she wore because of yesterday's catastrophe.

"You've got a lot of work, Sergeant," Lieutenant Hartwell said. "Let's not waste any more time."

"Yes, Sir," she replied.

Marshall glanced to Raven before leaving the office. He also tried to leave.

"Wait a minute, detective," Hartwell said.

Raven stopped and turned around. He would not get off that easy. L. Hartwell wasn't playing favorites. There was a reason why he chose to follow Raven's direction. He retraced the events that led up to the S.S. Surf failure to remind Raven what was at stake.

"For years we've known that the Greyblades indulge in white collar crime," L. Hartwell said. "They've never slipped up. The only chance we have to catch them in the act is when they do business with other organizations. They have connections to Dragon Fang but that was with old leadership. With the Fang's new boss, Albert Hedgecoach, the Blades have been extra careful. They held back their business to see how Hedgecoach would run things, just like us. The stall was so long, we were afraid the Blades and Fangs would never regroup and we would never be able to catch either of them anytime soon. But then we get word that they are getting together to make a deal. Dragon Fang had started mass producing that new pokemon steroid floating around the black market and the Greyblades were interested in it. God only knows why but it was our first real opportunity in years."

L. Hartwell leaned on the desk.

"And then the new Fang boss slipped up. The information about the location of the first big meeting leaked. It would take place in the rural city of Boulder during the annual pokemon festival. The Greyblades have an interest in the town and the natural resources the area produces. They want to slowly make an investment in it. If they succeed, Boulder would be a valuable source of income. Other companies avoided Boulder because it was not a flashy big city and it follows strict environmental restrictions and codes. Aside from scooping out their potential new investment, the Blades planned on meeting with Dragon Fang to finalize the deal. The festival was perfect cover because of all of the tourists. As you remember, on arena day, Liam Valenis' nephew was beaten by this Aria Wicket. It's not unheard of that trainers challenge him as a way into the organization, whether they win or not. Afterwards, Liam personally met with her. With this deal going on it was suspicious so I had you gauge Aria to see if she was a player. You told me you didn't think she was. And I believed you."

Raven bowed his head. Was that single decision the cause of it all?

L. Hartwell rubbed his face. Did things become so out of control because he overlooked something? He pushed the guilt aside and continued.

"You risked your cover to call me on your way to Garden Cruise to tell me Aria was headed the same way. It was the same destination as the next phase of the deal between the Fangs and Blades. Don't blame yourself too much, Snow. I'm the one who told you not to worry about it. It was the end of the festival and there were a lot of tourists on their way home. You probably saw a lot of familiar faces at the station. Then, Aria shows up as a passenger on the very same cruise we tracked the Fang shipment too. It's no surprise things got complicated. They always do. It doesn't help that she engaged us on the ship and fled the scene."

"If I may, Sir," Raven interjected. "There's a good chance that she wasn't running from us. When she jumped into the strait, it was when the Fangs had control of the ship. And at the pokemon center, her canines did not attack unless provoked. I think there's a chance that something else is going on."

"Our team is finishing up with the surveillance video from both the center and the ship. It'll give us more to work with. Until then, find out what you can from Aria. If you want to baby her then fine, but remember, she's involved in this somehow, so keep your guard up."

Lieutenant Hartwell was a strict man but he also listened to his gut and this time it was telling him that Raven was on the right track. Raven nodded in understanding before heading for the door. There was a lot at stake. L. Hartwell called to him one final time.

"Don't make me regret this, detective," he said.

It was one last warning. If anything else happened with this mystery woman, Aria Wicket, then there would be no more favors. Raven would be on his own.


	26. Garden Cruise Arc: 6

Garden Cruise Arc: 6

The interrogation room was quiet and Aria did not dare to disturb it. The silence was cold and tense but it had a calming effect. It was better than an irate policewoman hacking away at shaky confidence with a verbal machete. The blank walls provided little stimulation and it was exactly what she needed. There was nothing to compound Aria's fear except the unknown and she was too preoccupied with talking herself down from tears to think about it. The _dream eater's_ effects were still strong. Each episode left her in a childlike mentality afterwards. A soft knock on the door broke the silence. Aria would have flinched if it was any louder. She was calm but not healed. The door opened relatively slowly to preserve the knock's gentle nature. Aria glanced to the floor at her side. She was too afraid to look at it directly but the legs that came through were different than Sergeant Marshall's. Innate curiosity elbowed fear in the ribs and Aria followed them up to the face of the new visitor.

"Raven," Aria said in surprise.

The door closed as gently as it opened. Because of recent events, Aria had forgotten that the last time she saw Raven, he was battling on the S.S. Surf. A thousand questions swarmed into existence. Strangely enough, they were set aside by Raven's appearance of all things. A blue and white police uniform donned his figure and the only thing Aria could think about was how uncomfortable he looked without a scarf.

"I thought you would be hungry so I brought you something," Raven said. "It's not the best but our canteen does have a pretty good instant sandwich. But first, let's get these off."

Raven placed a bottle of water and ham and cheese sub on the table. Aria watched carefully and returned to silence. He came to her side with a small key in hand and motioned to her wrists. She raised them and the handcuffs were removed. Aria rubbed the skin tenderly and kept her head down. Raven couldn't blame her for the sheepish behavior. The white musketeer she knew him to be had traded candy for a badge and that badge had done little to comfort her. He sat down at the table across from Aria and took a moment to examine her. Posture and expression suggested a lack of confidence and vulnerability to the slightest hint of accusation. Both were unstable and likely to tip over into extremes if under more distress. Raven was now positive that Aria was hit by a _dream eater_. He was never struck by one and thanked God every day for it. He had seen and heard of people who destroyed themselves because of the anxiety and dread it created. Raven did not want Aria to let the terror fester and met the same fate. The darkness needed to be released. A comforting familiar presence who understood the patience needed for healing could help with that.

"I apologize for your earlier treatment," Raven began. "Sergeant Marshall has been a little hard to deal with for all of us over the past twelve hours."

Aria rubbed her wrists harder and turned her head farther away. The topic was still too sensitive to bring up. Raven quickly tried to find another. The bandages poking through the stapled rip in Aria's shirt was hard to miss.

"You're shoulder, does it hurt?" he asked.

How she got the wound was still a mystery. The EMT mentioned something about a bite wound that had been treated when she came in. It was highly unlikely that it was the result of one of her canines. The punctures were too wide and spread apart for them to come from something so small. There was a chance she got it while on the Surf. Aria was beaten up worse than some of the police officers involved in the raid. She touched the wound in remembrance. Her eyes began to refocus. Intense pain could numb the brain but a softer ache could stimulate it. Aria raised her gaze to Raven. He was happy she did. It was progress, small, but important.

"A little," she whispered.

"If you like, I can help with the pain," Raven said. "I don't know if you remember but I own a chimecho."

Raven reached to his pokebelt and pulled out an ultra ball. The motion brought Aria's gaze to his appearance again. He looked more mellow and weary than she remembered. Raven enlarged the pokeball and released Belle into the room. She chimed and spun to announce her arrival. A smile tugged at the corner of Aria's lips. She had seen a few wind chime pokemon here or there in the Con. They migrated with the warm weather. She always liked how they made music with the wind.

"Belle here can lift some of the pain away with a _heal bell_. May I?"

Raven motioned to belle. Her tail spun and she waved her small arms. Without Aria's objection, he commanded a _heal bell_. Belle closed her eyes with a feint _ding_ from her tail. Aria and Raven were washed in a warm blue glow that tingled their souls. Aria instantly relaxed. The sound weakened the _dream eater's_ control by bringing back memories of summers sitting on her front porch drinking sweet tea. The move could not stimulate cell regeneration in humans like pokemon but it did act as a painkiller, physically and psychologically. Aria closed her eyes and sighed. The box became just a little bit bigger and not just for Aria. Raven felt the same effects more than what he should have. Aria lightly smiled and considered the benefits of owning a pokemon with healing moves. Raven's smile helped boost her moral. He patiently waited for it to return to normal levels. Aria glanced around the box for the first time. Maybe things would turn out alright. Nobody was screaming or banging on the door. Raven's energy was a little unsettled but controlled. The safety and security that the police once offered when she was a child returned. Aria looked to the bottle of water on the table. Scabs of sea salt lined the walls of her mouth. She boldly reached for it but it may have been too soon. Her hands shook with loitering adrenaline. She quickly pulled them into her lap with the water but embarrassment was sometimes motivation to step forward. Aria's usual demeanor and personality began to reappear now that things had stabilized a little. Belle's presence in the room was the primary pillar of support. Pokemon always made Aria feel better. She knew little about Raven's party. He had avoided the subject while on the train to Garden Cruise. Maybe this was her chance to learn more about him.

"So, she's yours?" Aria surprisingly said with a glance to Belle.

"Yes," Raven replied. "She's been very helpful in my line of work."

"Which I'm guessing doesn't involve travelling and selling merchandise."

"Yes, I lied to you and I'm sorry about that. I specialize in undercover work and it requires a little discretion. The truth is my name is William Raventail Snow. I'm a detective of the VRCD: Valenis Regional Crime Department."

Aria took a drink and looked into the table with a small sense of betrayal shadowing her gaze. It was hard to believe Raven was an undercover cop but it did explain why he was on the Surf. It opened the door to new unsettling questions. He wasn't investigating her for some kind of crime, was he? Common sense persuaded her otherwise. Aria had spent such a strict adherence to the law this past year to free Sebastian that not even the _dream eater _could tell her otherwise. Raven had a lot of explaining to do. Suspicion pinched Aria's brow. She knew nothing about him, not really. Everything she did know was probably a lie. A rippling pull in her stomach drew her attention away from the subject toward the food on the table. It had been a while since Aria last ate. The sub nestled in her lap next to the water. While she took a few bites, Raven debated where he should start. Overwhelming Aria with too much information at once could reignite the _dream eater_. The beginning would be the easiest and most logical choice. The door to the Box suddenly opened with a knock that barely warned of the intrusion. A man wearing a suit and tie worth two years of Raven's salary stepped inside the interrogation room. Confidence was sewn into the fitted pinstripes. A briefcase hung from his fingers like a Rolex to a wrist. Knowledge of the law that would send unruly cops reeling in whiplash coated his smile.

"Detective, I hope you're not about to interrogate my client without legal representation because we both know that would be a crime against civility," he said with a tone that erased any implied pleasantries.

His name was Richard Hemlock and he was one of the best attorneys the Greyblades had to offer. Raven and Aria looked to him in confusion, Aria more so than Raven. He had appeared more unexpectedly than a wild pokemon from the grass.

"I would like to consult my client, alone," he continued.

Raven knew a lawyer when he saw one and knew better than to deny the request. He glanced to Aria before reluctantly standing up. The need to say something to her tugged at his conscious but there was nothing he could do. Considering how Aria was treated earlier in the day, the clouds were darkening over the 23rd precinct. Raven's patience had backfired. He did not get Aria's statement in time. Any valuable information she had could now be withheld by the DA's suggestion. Raven withdrew Belle and brushed past Richard for the door. Sergeant Marshall was waiting in the hall. He came to her side as the door to the Box closed with Richard and Aria inside. The officer behind the mirror emerged out of the back room to give them privacy. Marshall crossed her arms over her chest and kept her voice low.

"We've got a problem," she said. "Did you see that lawyer?"

Raven looked to the door as if he could see inside.

"That was _Richard Hemlock_," she continued.

The name sounded familiar.

"He's one of the ace attorney's for the Greyblades and Liam Valenis' personal friend. He specializes in cases where trainers have used their pokemon outside of designated battles. What the hell is he doing in Garden Cruise?"

Sergeant Marshall was distraught and ashamed now that her earlier actions against Aria would inevitably come to light. Hemlock was not just Richard's last name. It was a warning to all that came up against him. He would be the death of your case should you fight against him.

"Does he do pro bono work for trainers?" Raven asked.

"With the money they pay him, I highly doubt it. If he's the charitable type, we're shit outta luck if he happened to be in this city, working today, and free of cases."

Maybe Liam's approach to Aria in Boulder had something to do with Richard's appearance. He could be here to help a rising Greyblade or potential black market employee. Either way, it was suspicious. The Greyblades could be trying to clear their name or cover something up.

Inside of the room, Aria stiffened as Richard put his briefcase on the table. He was waiting for her gaze by the time it rose to his level. She probably had a thousand questions for him. Did the region send him? Maybe her parents? No, he came from a much better place than that.

"Good evening, Aria," Richard began.

The fact that Richard knew her name without introduction was not important. Aria was more interested in the time and what day it was.

"It's evening?" Aria questioned.

Richard paused while unfastening his jacket. Did Aria not know what time it was? It was not unusual for a client to misjudge exact time when in an interrogation room but they at least had a general idea of the time of day. The laws of justice undulated across Richard's thoughts. It got him thinking. What else didn't she know?

"Aria," he calmly said. "Do you know where you are?"

"The-police station . . .," she trailed off.

Richard sat down and clasped his hands on the table. The fact that Aria barely understood where she was sent a thousand red flags flying over the borders of Richard's perception of the situation. Just how did she come into custody? Was she even conscious when they brought her in? If things were this bad, it was possible that she was never read her rights upon arrest. Richard chiseled several mental notes for his sword of law to sharpen against. There were so many things wrong already and he had yet to introduce himself. Whatever charges the police had would be chopped into confetti so small they would glitter better than diamond dust. A smile and friendly disposition hid Richard's blade. It was better to keep it out of sight until they both knew exactly what was going on. Richard nonchalantly informed Aria of the information she should have known since the beginning.

"To be more specific, this is the Garden Cruise 23rd precinct on the corner of Parker and Blossom Street. And when I say evening, I mean the lovely time of four in the afternoon. My name is Richard Hemlock and if you would allow me, I would like to be your guiding hand through all of this."

Aria nodded. She didn't have a clue what was going on. It was a good thing Richard took his craft to heart. His blade of justice and defense was stronger than steel and coated with the smell of a bakery. You would think you were about to remember something pleasant until you turned around and found the point of a sword at your throat. Richard addressed Aria's confusion without a prompt.

"I came across your case file this morning and thought you could use a hand," he lied. "I do pro bono work for trainers such as yourself who have used their pokemon in situations that require emergency action. It looked like there was a lot of misunderstanding in the unfortunate events that happened on the strait last night. I'd hate to see an innocent lady such as yourself caught in the aftermath."

It was better if Aria did not know why Richard had been pulled out of bed in the middle of the night to take on her case. Such a large disturbance like the sinking of a cruise ship was the perfect cover to hide his knowledge of her situation. Liam had given him the surveillance video along with the other information collected on Aria. Richard knew almost everything about her that could be found on paper. Aria seemed like a good person and the fact that Liam was interested in her only made his resolve to win that much stronger. He would set Aria free from all charges. From what he gathered so far, it would be effortless. Richard's confidence was so strong that it glazed over Aria's hesitation. She nodded her approval and acceptance of his help. Richard smiled again. His canines were coated in charm to numb the poisonous touch of his bite.

"Now, if you're feeling up to it, I'd like to ask you about what happened last night," he said. "I want to hear the good, the bad, and the horrendous. I need to know _everything_. I am not here to judge you. I'm only here to help."

Aria's hesitation was brief. She knew what she did on the Surf and why. It was her chance to tell her story and she did. The entire ordeal was retraced from buying the ticket to landing on the beach with Styx. Richard was attentive and took notes. The auditory account paired perfectly with the surveillance footage. He coaxed more from Aria than she realized. The story about the sharpedo and carvanha attack was especially important. It told Richard that Dragon Fang was not willing to tolerate loose ends. He also learned about Aria's purpose on the ship. The bigger picture formed and several areas of interest were subtly addressed and clarified. They then moved on to the pokemon center incident. There was something off about the whole situation. With his collective knowledge, Richard understood that the pokemon center attack was not a random incident created by the misjudgments of the police (although it played a big part). As the end drew near, Aria became upset when she went into detail about her nightmarish experience on the floor of the bunk room. The consequences of her pokemon resisting arrest were too much to bear. Richard's handkerchief caught her tears and a few well-placed words stabilized the distress. Aria was not exactly sure of the events that transpired but Richard reassured her that it would be alright. The police would know what happened and a little misunderstanding could blow things way out of proportion. He would get to the truth and exploit the police for every detail of the incident. Their claims and accusations would deflate in an eye flinching pop. Once Richard did that, he would have all the information he needed to understand the events surrounding Aria's traumatizing saga.

It took over an hour to discuss everything. When they were finished, Richard once again claimed that everything would be taken care of. He left the Box with a smile and it combusted into a glower when the door closed. The flames cast shadows over Richard's eyes. His features were as pleasing as the dead of winter. There was not a lie in Aria's story. Everything about this case screamed the victim and yet Aria had woken up in a prison cell, was handcuffed, and forced into an unlawful and cruel interrogation. He was surprised there was even food and water on the table. She was given no information, no sense of comfort, nothing. Aria should have been whisked away to the hospital the moment she was found. In a single night, Aria had been assaulted by a variety of pokemon, the police, and Dragon Fang. She outclassed death on numerous occasions and survived only by her own strength and pokemon. She was beaten, abused, and mishandled when she should have been treated like royalty. Just how long had the police kept her in this dead box? Where was the decency to take care of her basic needs? Aria was covered in brine, sand, ash, soot, blood, and dirt and not once did the police think to give her a new set of clothes. It looked as if she had not slept in days. She was literally held together by desk staples. Richard was starting to doubt that her wounds were even treated properly. Aria wasn't a terrorist. What in God's name was going on in this precinct? Officers stumbled over their feet to move out of Richard's way as he walked away from the box. The calm ferocity of his stride pulled the entire attention of the room. He blew past Sergeant Marshall without a breath of recognition that stunned her into silence. Richard stopped next to Raven farther along.

"It would be in your best interest, Detective, to place Aria into more comfortable accommodations, immediately," he threatened.

Raven swallowed hard. It was definitely in his best interests. Richard continued and went straight into Lieutenant Hartwell's office without a single knock. Aria's case was no longer a favor for Liam. This was something he was going to take pride in.

Fire and brimstone were about to crash through the roof of the 23rd precinct.


	27. Garden Cruise Arc: 7

Garden Cruise Arc: 7

The Box was empty. Aria Wicket sat amongst the desks of the general work room. The chair was better than the one in the Box but comfort did not suit suspected Dragon Fang employees. Aria's legs wouldn't cross the right way. The arch of her back was either too straight or too hunched. Something smelled like feet and corn chips. The occasional judgmental stare made Aria feel smaller than a flea on a rattata. A light bustle from the surrounding detectives and officers kept silence at bay but it never got loud. Chatter and small talk were at a minimum. The conversation going on in the Lieutenant's office across the way was far more interesting than petty gossip. Richard Hemlock and L. Hartwell were deep in discussion about Aria, her treatment, and her situation. It became heated at times when words were audible and shadows flared but it quickly died down with threats and pulls of authority. Aria did not care what the two were doing as long as the attention stayed on them and not on her. An officer kept an eye on her nearby but he was not concerned with an attempted escape while she was in the middle of a police station. Aria knew better than to try something so foolish. Besides, worrying about her pokemon and the situation were far more pressing than trying to make the next sequel to a crime drama.

To stay calm and focused, Aria turned her attention to what lay in front of her. She sat at a desk with a few stationary knickknacks placed neatly along the edge and a file in the center. It was bare considering the others around it dripping with late paperwork and rap sheets. There were no photos of a woman, family, or pokemon. The only trace of individuality was the wrapper of a Typhlosion's Treats candy off to the side. It was a dead giveaway that Raven was temporarily occupying the desk. Being a part of the VRCD meant moving around constantly and cooperating with various precincts and departments. For a VRCD detective, being behind a desk was as awkward as trying to dance with a pinsir. It just didn't work out very well. At least Raven's sweet tooth was consistent. Aria smirked shyly when she remembered the white musketeer who had given her a bag of sweets at the festival. It was a bittersweet memory but Aria no longer felt betrayed over it. Raven lied to protect his cover and the operation. He was only doing his job. Plus, there had to be some truth to the musketeer's existence. It was too convincing for it to be a complete ruse. The more truthful the lie, the more convincing it was. Aria's thoughts found a safe place to reside in the musketeer. They went from the owner, to the candy, then the mascot. Raven's typhlosion was real. She saw him battling on the S.S. Surf. Did he have a name or did Raven simply call him by species, maybe Tye for short? It was unoriginal but easy. Raven must be a good trainer to have a third evolution pokemon in his party.

Aria looked up as Raven returned from his errand. Their relationship had suffered a few blows over the past few hours and being together only made the nicks that much more noticeable. Since Richard's appearance, Raven could not ask any more questions and Aria had been told not to talk about anything. It left a silence between them filled with lies, truths, confusion, and misunderstanding. The lack of current conversation prompted thought about previous conversation. Aria wondered how much truth Raven had used during their time together at the festival and on the train. Suspicion was high but it felt unnatural just to ignore one another. Aria was not mad enough to shun Raven from all engagement. He had helped her several times and treated her with respect undercover and exposed. Aria was willing to salvage at least a little of their friendship but she would wait and see if he was willing to do the same. She got her answer when he came to the desk.

"Would you like some coffee or anything?" Raven asked to make sure she was as comfortable as she could be.

Aria politely declined and used the question as a catalyst to bridge the gap between friendships.

"I saw your typhlosion on the ship," she said. "He seems like a very capable pokemon. Does he have a name?"

"Well, uh, thank you. His name is Milo," Raven said. "Well, technically it's Milothesis. I was just a kid when I came up with it so it's a little goofy. I cut it down to Milo for short."

Raven was a little surprised Aria was willing to start a conversation. Answering the question with more detail than needed was also unexpected. He never liked talking about his pokemon. Why was talking to Aria so different?

"Don't be ashamed," she said with a strengthening smile. "I like it. Plus I've heard some strange names before and Milo is completely normal compared to them."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I've come across a few strange ones myself."

"Like what?"

"_Hmm_, Tiddletot, Molopolo, Turtleshine."

The two looked away with a chuckle strong enough to loosen the tension. Raven stole a glance at Aria afterwards. She looked much better than before. Color resumed its rosy hue in her cheeks and fear no longer coated the bark brown shine of her eyes. There was something about Aria's smile that made it impossible for Raven to believe she was involved with Dragon Fang. There was no way she would approve of their dirty battle tactics, pokemon testing, and cruel training regime. Raven looked to the desk drawer next to his knee. There was something inside that he knew would test his instinct. He opened the drawer and reached inside. Aria tried not to be nosy but disregarded all reservation when she saw the object he pulled out. Raven scooted away from the desk to get closer to Aria. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. A black probation ball filled his hands.

"I picked this up at the pokemon center, in case you were worried," he explained.

Fireworks filled Aria's chest. She greedily took the ball in her grasp and held it in her lap with the delicacy of an egg. A part of her soul had returned to her. Tender fingertips stroked the black shell. Raven smiled. He figured it was alright since the pokemon inside could not be released anyway. The reunion was interrupted as Richard Hemlock and Lieutenant Hartwell emerged from the office and headed in the direction of the pair. Raven stood up and Aria turned around to face them.

"Aria, would you come with me for a minute," Richard said as they came to a stop in front of her.

She nodded and they went back into the Box for privacy. L. Hartwell stood with Raven near the desk in silence. They had to wait for Richard to explain Aria's options. She could either be immediately released because of the department's lack of procedure and mishandling or she could stay and give her statement. With a little thought, Aria chose the latter. She wanted all of this to rest peacefully on her soul. Her sense of justice was too strong to just walk away and Raven's kindness should be rewarded. It was good news for Richard. Aria's forgiveness and cooperation benefitted him as much as her conscious. The information he would gather from the police on the entire Dragon Fang/Greyblade operation was priceless. He was good enough to understand the motivation behind the questions of an interrogation. The events that occurred at the seaside pokemon center would also become clear. The only condition Aria had was that Raven had to be the one to take her statement. It was a miniscule favor compared to the lawsuit she could have filed. Richard explained what she could obtain by doing so but Aria had enough of the police and Garden Cruise to let it go. Having her fire canines burn down a pokemon center instilled enough guilt to keep things simple.

Richard would have preferred to take a full lawsuit and drain the police for all they were worth but Aria was focused on going home as fast as possible and it was his job to meet her every need. Aria would give her statement only after she was properly taken care of. She would be given full amenities from here on out. The two remerged from the Box and Richard explained the terms to L. Hartwell. The only choice the precinct had was to give in to every request. They were lucky they were still going to get a statement. Aria was given a fresh set of clothes, compliments of the 23rd precinct. It included a shirt, sweat pants, and a hoodie with the Garden Cruise Police Department logo on them. They were the sweats administered to every officer when they joined the force. Aria showered in the vacated locker room, had her wounds treated again, threw away her old clothes, and changed. Compared to what she wore before they were perfect. The security of a warm clean hoodie eased her nerves. When she returned, they offered more food and water which she declined. She was ready to get started. They shifted back into the Box. Richard sat next to Aria while Raven sat across from them. Lieutenant Hartwell stepped into the observation room. Sergeant Marshall followed because Aria's statement involved the raid.

With Richard's prompt, Aria retold her story. Going over it beforehand helped put the pieces together. While she explained, an officer informed Lieutenant Hartwell that the surveillance tape from the S.S. Surf had been prepared. He was waved away by a distracted hand. Aria's story was more interesting than all of them expected it to be. Raven's questioning revealed the identity of the first officer Aria had run into on the Surf. It was Officer Jenkins, the one airlifted to the hospital. He was doing just fine with the latest report but without Aria's initial serendipitous intervention it might have turned out much worse. The precinct's debt to her reached new depths. The story lined up perfectly with the statements of other witnesses. Important information began to unfold for the police when they realized Aria was in the cargo hold. That was where the drug shipment was hidden and later destroyed. At this point, Raven revealed certain details of the operation to help Aria identify anything important. She remembered little considering she was pursued into the hold. No one was surprised. Stumbling into the meat and bone of two opposing operations warranted such danger. The twist no one saw coming was that Aria had met her opponent once before. This information spun off into the story of Aria's run in with the thief in Garden Cruise. She hesitated when it came to the violent part. Richard reassured her that this would remain confidential and that she would not be charged with anything. In fact, it would help shed light into Garden Cruise's theft ring. The significance of the information outweighed any action she had taken in self-defense. Aria explained the encounter and Lieutenant Hartwell made sure to pay extra attention.

Returning to the events in the hold, Raven and the others kept their astonishment over the feats of Aria's tentacruel quiet. The jellyfish pokemon was strong enough to punch through the hull of a ship. It was not normal. The reason why she jumped into the strait also become clear. It may have been from instinct but it probably saved her life. Dragon Fang would have killed her when they realized she had been in the hold and attacked the Dragon Fang Lieutenant Harris Boyd in Garden Cruise. The carvanha attack was an attempt to do just that. When Aria continued and explained why she went to the pokemon center instead of the police, Richard looked through the mirror to Lieutenant Hartwell who glanced to Sergeant Marshall. She was drowning in guilt before the look even reached her. Aria's memory became foggy afterwards. Raven filled in the details. He explained the possibility that she was attacked by Dragon Fang and exposed to a _dream eater._

Richard flew into a rage when he learned this. Aria had been treated so cruelly on top of being under the heavy influence of a _dream eater?_ He would have had the precinct's head on a plate if Aria had not calmed him down and insisted that the police were just as confused and upset as she was. If only she knew better. Richard looked through the mirror again straight into the Lieutenant's eyes. How he found them didn't matter. L. Hartwell understood perfectly. They had messed up in the worst possible way with this case. Not only was Aria a mere innocent caught up in the struggle on the ship, she had become a target for both sides to _thrash_. Dragon Fang made two attempts on her life. The police had treated her like a Fang. And yet she still gave an inside look into the situation, identified key Dragon Fang members, and revealed valuable information about the theft and robbery circuit currently running wild in Garden Cruise. Aria's strength of character and endurance as a trainer were shining like the boardwalk outside their doors. Night had fallen by the time they were finished. Richard demanded that Aria be put under protective custody, if not witness protection, immediately. L. Hartwell agreed.

"Don't worry, Aria. We'll get you home in no time," Richard said as they prepared to leave. "But for now, please stay with the police. It's for your own safety."

Aria nodded in understanding. The two had become something of friends during their brief time together. It was unavoidable after all that she had shared.

"Is there anything else you need before leaving? Any questions?"

"Could you contact my parents in Boulder and tell them I'm alright?" she said. "If they've seen the news, they're probably frantic."

"Consider it done."

A pair of smiles completed the exchange. Raven stepped up to the two and explained that it was time to go. Richard stepped out of the way as he led Aria out of the station to a car waiting nearby. It signaled the start of an end to a long day. Richard watched them leave for as long as he could. He admired Aria's perseverance. Her world was turned upside down and shook for all it was worth yet she got back up, wiped the dirt from her chin, and tucked in her pockets. Richard turned away when Aria and Raven slid into the back seat of an undercover cruiser. They may be finished but he was not. There were many things to discus and finalize before he went home, and not just with the police. Richard gauged the room before casually strolling back into the interrogation viewing room. It was sound proof and perfect for conversations outside of public ears. Richard pulled out his cell phone, tapped the speed dial, and put it to his ear. He did not have to wait long before the call was answered.

"So, tell me, how is our client?" Liam Valenis answered.

"She's been through a lot but she's a strong woman. I can see why you like her so much," Richard said. "But there are some things that you need to know," he continued.

"Go on."

"Aria is being put into protective custody. Tomorrow, they will move her to a safe house. It seems we're not the only ones who tracked her down."

". . . I'll look into it from here. Stay close and in control. Send me a copy of her statement and report to me in the morning."

"I will."

"Don't let your guard down. We don't know how serious they are."

"I won't."

"Oh, and Richard."

"Yes?"

"Well done."


	28. Garden Cruise Arc: 8

Garden Cruise Arc: 8

"There's no point in hiding it. I can tell something is bothering you."

"It's nothing, just a little business."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with our mutual acquaintance, Aria Wicket would it?"

Liam Valenis smiled as he took off his fedora and placed it on the hat rack inside of his office. Azura closed the door behind them and hung his jacket next to it. He knew his uncle well enough to notice when something was off despite Liam's poker worthy deception. Their late dinner together was less social than usual. Something was on Liam's mind and it was important enough to draw all of his focus.

"You tend to amaze me sometimes," Liam replied.

"It wasn't hard to figure out. The only thing you were interested in the whole night was my opinion of her after the battle in Boulder."

Liam walked into the center of the room and rubbed his chin. He may have let his curiosity and fascination get the best of him. Azura was relaxing company and it was hard not to be himself when around him. Richard Hemlock's report on Aria's case was the last thing he read before going to dinner with his nephew. He understood the situation almost as well as the DA and did not need theories on the suspects involved in the pokemon center attack. Dragon Fang's bite left a clear imprint. Using a _dream eater_ to immobilize and debilitate targets before an execution, kidnapping, or torture was a trademark of their business. Azura was quite informed himself. He knew about the deal between the Greyblades and Dragon Fang, maybe not specific details but enough to hold some merit. The S.S. Surf disaster was also the biggest news story in the region. The passenger who had gone missing was a familiar face and Azura's instinct told him to look into it. Reports of the pokemon center attack were also coming to light but this time without names and details. His intuition and proactive curiosity was one of the reasons Liam enjoyed his nephew so much. Azura was sharper than a kabutop's scythe when it came to process and happenstance. He was logical, tactical, and thus, could utilize the world around him. He was a rising pokemon prodigy for a reason. But it also came with arrogance, a hot head, and a bit of a cold personality. His desire to please his superiors was just as much of a crutch as it was motivation to succeed. Becoming a celebrity ace trainer with a name tied to the Valenis fortune and bloodline only compounded the pressure. They were all costly weakness for someone striving to be the future heir to the Greyblades but they were manageable, especially under Liam's supervision. Azura had potential as a trainer and a business man. Liam had to make sure he kept the ace on his toes.

"The subject didn't dabble on some wounded pride, did it?" Liam teased.

"Like you've told me, whatever doesn't kill you gives you experience," Azura replied.

"Good man, so you actually listen when I give you advice."

"Only the useful pieces."

A pair of smiles floated across the room. Liam poured a little scotch into two glasses from the set on the mahogany side table. He held one out for Azura who took it and meandered over to look at the bookshelves. Liam lingered at the table and took a sip. He watched Azura with a little nostalgia sweetening his drink. Memories of a much smaller red head browsing the shelves floated in between reality. Liam smiled but it drifted away with thoughts of more recent events. He felt guilty for being so distracted at dinner. When he was passionate about something, he tended to push it onto others. Aria's recent and unexpected appearance on the Surf was on his mind. Azura was probably trying to figure out what made her so entrancing. She was talented but not ready to face the league and the likelihood that she was a criminal was miniscule. To figure it out, Azura would have to consider what his uncle enjoyed and obsessed over. Scrolling through the memories of their time together had the answer. The older more innocent stories were the key. While browsing the shelves of antiques like when he was a child, Azura remembered one. It was when Liam got excited over a trainer he wanted to sponsor, but in the end, was disappointed.

"I'm sure there's another you can sponsor," Azura had said.

"I'm not looking for just another," Liam replied.

"Well then, what are you looking for?"

"A ranger."

Azura returned to the present. He had heard a fair amount of gossip about these mysterious trainers in the battling circuit. But his uncle's constant, seemingly exaggerated, stories about them were the source of most of his information. Few had done more research than Liam so the stories were valid excluding a little touch of imagination. Azura turned around to his uncle with new realization.

"You think she's one of them?" he said. "A Ranger."

Liam was not sure how Azura came to that conclusion but it was the right one. He leaned against the edge of his desk and put one hand in the pocket of his vest while the other held the glass. The smirk he tried to hide by sipping his scotch was all Azura needed to know that he was right.

"But she's practically a nobody," he continued. "I didn't find a trace of her in any pokemon circuit: professional, league, or tournament. She's just a mountain bumpkin."

"Most are," Liam added.

He was only too happy to educate his nephew on the subject.

"Almost every Ranger on record, as little as there are, came from humble origins. Simple lives with pokemon are what make them so hard to find. They have no idea what they are until someone recognizes their talent and encourages them to move into the public's eye. Even then, the term ranger means very little to them. Did you know that they prefer to keep only a select few pokemon in their party rather than a full belt? It's fascinating because they-,"

The landline phone on the desk rang. Liam would have liked to talk more, especially since Azura was willing to listen and was competent enough to engage in discussion, but business took precedence. He picked up the phone and listened. He then hung up, stood, and put down the glass of scotch. He was not pleased with the call despite its brevity. A frown of controlled disgust replaced his smile.

"Azura, you are about to meet a very powerful and stupid man," was all he said.

It was a good thing Azura did not need further explanation because the door to Liam's office opened with more force than necessary. Two men strutted into the room.

"Albert and Alexander Hedgecoach," Liam began, informing Azura of the identity of their guests. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Albert walked into the room wrapped in the ambiance of a peacock with an eagle complex. The posture was unnatural for a man of his stature. It only amplified his lack of confidence that resurfaced every time he walked into Liam's office. His son closed the door before Raine could follow them. One of the biggest differences between the CEO of the Greyblades and the boss of Dragon Fang was manners. Liam Valenis was a man of class who wholeheartedly believed that being a gentleman at all times, even with enemies and tyrants, was a code of life. One must always act with dignity and respect or risk losing your own. If it was not reciprocated, it only made the offender that much more of a boar. Albert Hedgecoach was the complete opposite. He boasted wealth and power like an expensive new car with tires still hot from the racetrack. He was not afraid to trample, humiliate, and annihilate anyone in his path.

"We've come to let you know that although we had a little turbulence in our deal last night, it does not affect the validity of this organization," Albert announced. "We lost nothing that can't be replaced so I'd like to offer another deal on the same terms as the original. There will be no mistakes. I guarantee it. You'll see that it's worth your interest."

Barging in with a statement of confidence was Albert's way of showing Liam that he still had control and authority over his organization. Dragon Fang's reputation would not be ruined by a little drug dust and bloody water. It was an attempt to impress and set Liam back on his heels. The surge of testosterone only made the event an ill-mannered and egotistical intrusion upon Greyblade territory. Liam's annoyance was kept invisible. Azura remained completely calm and quiet. Not a flinch or fidget of surprise came from either of them. Azura looked to the Fangs as if they were mere servants milling about. The circus parade in front of him was hardly enjoyable. Albert was acting as if it was the Blades who screwed up the drug shipment. Liam stood and put a hand in his pocket. He took a few steps closer with enough swank to knock Hedgecoach off of his pedestal. Liam had not lost control of the room for a single moment. He merely allowed the Fangs to put on their show.

"I'm sure that the misfortune that has befallen you is rare," Liam said. "However, business does dip between highs and lows over the years and I'm concerned that this year is not your best."

"I can assure you," Alexander interjected as he strolled past his father. "Yesterday's turn of events was just a test of Dragon Fang's resiliency. So let's call it a deal and make the arrangements over a little wine."

Expecting Liam to be alone, Alexander took a sideways glance at Azura. The ace nonchalantly poured himself a drink, took a sip, and caught eyes with Alexander. The two men sized each other up instantly. There were both wealthy, had a powerful family background, were in the same age bracket, had similar physical upkeep, and walked in the singular company of powerful men. Competition dropped between them in the form of a hydrogen bomb. Alexander took the lead by placing himself in Liam and Albert's conversation. Azura ignored the bravado. He saw plenty of it in the arena. Besides, under all the pomp, the Fangs were practically begging to keep the deal in place and Liam was no fool. He was not reckless enough to pick up where they left off as if nothing had happened. The situation had changed. Liam's focus was no longer on business. The mystery surrounding a burned down pokemon center took precedence over a deal gone sour right from the beginning. The Fangs proved that they could not be trusted. Liam had no intention of dealing with them ever again but this was the perfect chance to get the information he wanted about Aria's attack.

"It's good to see you're still in good spirits," Liam said. "You must have dealt with the cruise situation effectively. But I must admit, my faith has been shaken. Are you sure that the police will not find any evidence?"

"The shipment was completely destroyed in the flooding. They will have nothing but empty cases," Albert explained as if his luck had been planned.

"There were no problems with witnesses or charges filed against your men?"

"There was too much chaos for anything to stick and all witnesses were kept together so they saw and heard nothing of significance."

"No loose ends to take care of?"

Albert tensed and lost some of his confidence. A deep throated wheezing laugh tried to cover it up.

"There's nothing for you to worry about, Liam. Everything is taken care of. My men are handling the situation."

"If you're so confident, then I will consider your offer. But before we start negotiations, I want you to show me a token of good will."

"What did you have in mind?"

Pushed out of the conversation, Alexander felt his father's grip on the moment slipping. This was not how the conversation was supposed to go. The Fangs were supposed to reinstate the deal as the leading force yet Liam was riding their momentum and gaining speed faster than expected. Albert had no clue what his counterpart was trying to do. Liam was not looking for some type of freebie or extra drugs to add to the deal. He was too clean and classy to indulge in something as cheap as powder and pills. Liam turned to his desk and pretended to rearrange something.

"I want you to leave the entire cleanup of the S.S. Surf to me," he said. "I want you and your men to pull away from it, immediately. I will take care of the legal work. I will handle any loose ends."

"What?" Albert breathed.

Alexander watched his father's authority deflate like last season's beach balls. Each step Liam took across his office punctured new holes. Power was at stake here, not product.

"If everything is so controlled than it should be no problem," Liam continued. "In fact, if I end up having very little to do, then it only shows how much you've accomplished. It will restore my faith in you."

Albert was caught in conflicting emotions. The ace watching from the sidelines glanced to Liam. At the turn of a hat, a flamboyant intrusion had turned into opportunity. Dragon Fang was dancing on strings. Liam did not want any more danger to befall his budding ranger, Aria, because of her appearance and escape from the Surf. She had nothing to do with the raid and Liam wanted to keep it that way. Albert was not sure who was currently in charge of the situation. The confusion caused a glance around the room and revealed that there was a fourth person witnessing the event. A young man stood on Liam's side of the office. Their current discussion was not exactly up for public interpretation. Liam noticed the stare and capitalized on it. He knew Albert was an avid follower of the battling circuit.

"Oh, excuse me for my rudeness," Liam introduced. "This is my nephew, Azura Valenis."

Azura stood and faced his audience properly with the Valenis family charm neatly folded in his pocket. Albert instantly put the face to the name. It belonged to a rising star of the battling community, a full blown celebrity, and figure Albert won several large bets on. Glitter dusted his eyes.

"How do you do?" Azura said with a small bow of his head. "It is an honor to meet you."

"No, the pleasure is all mine," Albert said. "You know, you're making quite a stir in the circuit."

"I just do my best, Sir. Winning is only a result of my hard work."

The Fang's original intent to drive The Greyblades back into the ground blew apart as if hit with a _gust_. Albert almost stumbled forward to extend his hand in greeting. Azura took it with a smile and not a single step forward. Whatever authority Albert had left vanished in a puff of smoke. Alexander's jaw dropped. A smirk from across his father's shoulder set it back into place. Alexander glanced to Liam who was smiling just as hard as Albert. His father had been successfully reduced to a fanatic groupie and their plan reduced to an enormous failure by a single introduction.

"So, it's a deal then," Liam said using Albert's distraction to his advantage. "I will handle the grunt work and you can just lay back and relax as everything cools over. Then, we can talk business."

Albert caught himself in his excitement. He quickly cleared his throat and adjusted his jacket, in an attempt to look good in front of Azura.

"I'm glad we could come to an understanding," he said.

Alexander couldn't stand it anymore. He strode over to his father to end this travesty before it could get any worse.

"Excuse me, Father, but don't you have several important matters to attend to?" he said.

"Ah, yes, you're right," Albert replied.

He turned to Azura again.

"Maybe next time you can tell me about that last battle of yours in the Festival Tournament?" he said.

"Of course, it would be a pleasure," Azura said.

Alexander clenched his teeth and touched his father's shoulder. It prompted him to turn for the door and strut across the room with a lofty chin. The door closed behind them and jarred the reality of what happened into place. Albert stopped just outside of the door while Alexander cursed and continued on. The curtain was lifted and a stake ran through Albert's pride. His face flushed redder than a charmeleon's skin. Liam just played him better than the piano in his office. He took over the entire affair and deemed Dragon Fang incompetent to handle their own business. Had Albert been as young as his son, he would have punched a hole in the wall. Raine delicately raised her eyes as Alexander stormed past her desk. He threw on his coat and Albert followed not long after with fire spilling from his mouth. Neither paid any attention to the secretary as she leaned back in satisfaction. Outside the building, Albert slammed the car door shut. Alexander was already inside filling the car with the smoke of his burning outrage. Albert was so easily manipulated by the enemy, it was shameful. Albert was losing his touch and it was costing the organization. It was starting to look like a regime change was in order.

"That was utterly humiliating," Alexander hissed.

"Shut up, boy," Albert snapped.

"You aren't going to follow through with it are you?"

"Who the hell do you think I am?"

Alexander looked away. There was enough bite in his father's voice to put him back into place.

"To hell with Liam," Albert continued. "I'll handle things myself. We'll have our boys finish the job before he even gets a whiff of what's going on. Get the lieutenants together."

Alexander pulled out his phone. Albert looked away with a snarl. His fist slammed into the door hard enough to rattle the window.

"I want it done right," he yelled. "I want it done now!"


	29. Into the Woods Arc: 1

Into the Woods Arc: 1

Aria was in a daze. The last 24 hours were probably the worst she's experienced in her entire life. Laying back on the bed with a sigh was about all she could manage. Exhaustion pulled from physical and mental reservoirs Aria didn't even know existed. She didn't care that this was not her bed or that there was a police officer stationed in the other half of the suite to watch over her. Richard Hemlock's constructive use of the GCPD's guilt made sure Aria was put up in one of the nicest hotels in Garden Cruise while under protective custody. But with recent events, the quality of their compensation went unnoticed. A dark ceiling touched by the glow of a small desk lamp kept the sparkle of the room to a minimum. Tomorrow, Aria would be transferred to a safe house somewhere outside of Garden Cruise. An arm covered Aria's eyes in an attempt to hide from the world. The bite in her shoulder reminded her that it was an impossible task. Even with a few painkillers, every bruise and cut ached. Aria removed her arm and let it slump back onto the bed. Never in her life had she been so sleep deprived and so afraid to succumb to it because Dragon Fang was out to get her. The last time she fell asleep, hell set a bonfire in her dreams.

Aria preferred not to roast marshmallows over the flames of her sanity again.

She tried not to think about the pokemon center, the Surf, or the police officer in the other room. There had to be something positive out of all of this, she only had to find it. The hotel was nice. It was nicer than anything she could ever afford but also cold and foreign. The room was too lavish for a humble mountain woman to enjoy. The police officer on the other side of the wall was a silent reminder of the danger she was in and made for poor conversation. The only thing in the room that belonged to Aria was her empty bag at the foot of the bed and her pokebelt. Even the clothes on her back were not hers. Thoughts of her parents back home and how the Con would go unprotected without her there filled the unfamiliar space. Aria thought about Sebastian and how he would have to wait even longer for his release. She closed her eyes, felt the emotional pressure build, and quickly opened them before the tears spilled out. She had to find some comfort soon or she would never be able to sleep. Aria got up from the bed and peeked through her bedroom door into the other room. The police officer sat on the couch reading a magazine without much enthusiasm. She pushed the door open a little more until the officer noticed her.

"Is it alright if I let my pokemon out?" Aria asked. "They're small and well behaved so they won't be a problem."

The request was granted. Aria went back into the room and halfway closed the door. She could not close it completely due to protocol but Aria was not going to complain about it. The only security she needed was on her pokebelt. Aria pulled her bag over to the side closest to where she would sleep. Now that she was no longer a suspect, she was allowed to carry her pokemon again. Both classic balls were unfastened. Rolo and Lopo materialized on the floor. They were given strict instructions not to attack the humans in white and blue unless her life was in danger. She also summarized the situation for them so they understood what was going on. The canines would obey but they did not make any promises. Their trainer's wellbeing was more important than life by their standards. They went to scope out the officer through the crack in the door while Aria got into bed. She placed the belt next to her pillow for comfort just as much as access.

The light clicked off and when Aria settled, Rolo jumped on the bed. He forced himself under the blankets and Aria's arm like a teddy bear. His thick soft fur instantly warmed the blankets. Aria snuggled into him. Lopo jumped up afterwards and took his place at his trainer's feet. He would keep watch until morning when it was Rolo's turn to take over. The nightshift was Lopo's specialty and Rolo was always more energetic during the day. A 24 hour guard would prevent any more mishaps from occurring. It had been a while since they applied such cautious procedure. Life at the Con was properly scheduled and quiet for the most part. It was hard not to drop your guard when the only thing disturbing the night was a zigzagoon bold enough to rattle the trashcans. Even without Sebastian guarding the house the past year, the mischief of the forest had stayed away as if he would return at any moment. Lopo vowed to never let such peace weaken him again. With Sebastian locked away, the fire canines were Aria's first line of defense. It was their job to protect her with everything they had.

Sometime after Aria fell asleep, the officer poked her head in the room to make sure everything was alright. She was a little alarmed when the fully alert gaze of a houndour stared back at her. For a moment, the officer thought she was in a demon pokemon horror special. Lopo's eyes were replaced with white and green refractive discs and only the shine of his bone armor indicated his form. The officer retreated quietly, a little less concerned about Aria's safety.

Aria woke up once in the middle of the night from a _dream eater_ induced nightmare. Her gasp aroused Rolo who jumped up with his eyes still closed. Lopo was already there to quiet him. He licked the growlithe's face and used a paw to push his head back down. Rolo dropped back down to the sheets faster than a feinted magnemite. Aria wiped the sweat from her face and tried to catch her breath. She looked to Lopo as he pawed at her knee in concern. Watching her struggle through the nightmare and not being able to do anything about it put a small whine in his throat. Aria rubbed his head before lying back down. Had this been her own home, she would have turned on the light and gotten out of bed to distract her thoughts but it wasn't. Standing out of the security of the blankets in a foreign place was just as scary as trying to go back to sleep after a nightmare. Aria pulled Rolo up to her chest again. She snuggled as deep as she could into his fur and closed her eyes. Lopo came against her back and sandwiched her between them. It was enough to put her mind at ease.

The bubbling hiss of a coffee pot broke the silence of the morning. Aria opened her eyes but she was hardly disturbed by the noise. The _dream eater _kept restless sleep at bay with haunted snickers and eerie shadows. She would not have gotten any rest if it wasn't for the two fire canines surrounding her. Aria sat up and looked around the room. Lopo was waiting for Rolo to finish inspecting under the bed before they switched shifts. She rubbed her face and the canines acknowledged her awakening by wagging their tails. A few minutes later the door to her room creaked open and Aria stepped out. The officer in the kitchen apologized for the noise and offered a steaming cup. Aria declined both. She had some fruit and washed it down with some water. It was easier than ordering room service. Aria distributed a complementary bag of pokefood to her canines while the officer informed her of the day's events. They would leave within the hour for the safe house accompanied by an escort. Once situated, Aria would remain there for the next 24 to 48 hours while the police looked into her situation. Witness protection was still available but Aria refused it. She would never abandon her home and the Con even if it sacrificed her safety. Aria's entire life revolved around protection. She never felt safer than in the middle of the mountain with her pokemon. Before the coffee cooled, there was a knock on the door.

It was time to leave.

Aria's nerves returned as she withdrew Lopo and gathered up what little she had. Walking down the hallway flanked by two police officers and a growlithe just as authoritative as the officers made Aria feel like the center of attention. Rolo was so cohesive to her stride that the officers and staff that witnessed their departure forgot that pokemon were to remain withdrawn while on hotel property. Aria stepped outside the employee exit and was met with a black SUV and five people standing around it. She instantly recognized Raven (or should she say, Detective Snow) standing in the center wearing plain clothes. The scarf around his neck was a dead giveaway. To Aria's surprise, Richard Hemlock was at his side. He must have worked his magic once again to become part of the escort. She had no idea that Richard was the one that made Raven the leading detective on the escort and her official handler. To Richard, there was no one better suited for the job. Aria was already familiar with him, Raven knew everything about the case, and had proven himself a decent officer of the law. There would be no question that Raven would make the extra effort to watch out for Aria. He was sharp, quick on his feet, and trustworthy. He could make connections not always visible to the naked eye and foresee trouble before it arrived. It was how a detective should be. Richard needed someone like Raven to watch out for Aria in the Greyblades' place.

"Good morning, Aria," Richard said as she approached. "That's one handsome growlithe. I'm assuming he's yours?"

"Yes, Sir," she firmly replied.

Rolo curiously turned his nose to the man that smelled like Egyptian spice and cotton. He then looked to the human beside him who smelled like chocolate lavender. Raven was happy to see that Aria was herself again. He was afraid that the _dream eater_ and cumulative stress had done irreparable damage.

"Are you ready to go?" Raven asked.

Aria nodded.

"Don't worry, you can trust us. We'll keep you safe and out of Dragon Fang's reach."

"Oh, and I'll be coming along for the ride as well," Richard added.

He had a valid excuse for tagging along. The department had abused Aria from the beginning and he was not about to let them deal any more damage. Both Richard Hemlock and Liam Valenis trusted the police as much as they trusted Dragon Fang. His presence was also a way for the Blades to keep an eye on the situation. Rolo was withdrawn and everyone filed into the van. Raven took his place next to the driver while Aria and Richard took the middle. The two remaining officers were seated in the back.

The car was quiet as it left the city for the countryside. Aria kept her gaze out the window to keep her mind busy. Being with the police brought up memories of legal work which lead to thoughts about Sebastian's expired paperwork. She would have to go through the release process all over again and make another trip to Mile City. Aria didn't have the funds to do it again so soon. Sebastian would have to wait even longer. It broke her heart.

A little more than an hour into the drive, the escort passed the halfway mark. The flat stretch of road in front of them went on for miles. The two lane road looked smaller than what it was because of the tall wood on each side. It was not a popular street although one or two cars had passed by. The solitude was familiar and comforting to Aria but for the rest of the escort it was a bland expanse of twigs. The driver kept focus by watching for oncoming traffic, checking make and model, and estimating how fast they were driving. Another car came down the road in their direction with a second close behind. They were black and wide, most likely vans from the frame. The vans took full advantage of the empty road to speed along. They were going fast, too fast. Engines revved harder than they needed. Rubble kicked back from the tires. The front axial of the first van suddenly twisted. Tires squealed against asphalt. Smoke blew up behind them. The van swung over the center line and skidded to a stop, blocking the entire road.

"Shit," the driver of the escort cursed when he realized they were under attack.

The van's side door slung open. An alakazam stepped up to the inside edge with two masked men beside him. The escort driver slammed on the brakes in a fish tail. Alakazam closed his eyes and threw his hands in a _telekinesis_. For a split second, the SUV escort was lifted off of the road before dropping back down. With tires running, it bounced and swerved. The escort driver lost control. The SUV skidded across the pavement and flipped. It rolled off of the road into a ditch in a spray of dirt, grass, and asphalt. Glass cracked. Metal bent. The SUV finally came to a stop on its left side. Smoke poured from a ticking engine. Inside, Richard pulled his arms away from his face. He leaned harshly to the side from his weight and orientation of the car. The seat belt dug into his stomach and his shoulder felt like it had been thrown out of place. The smell of the exhaust mixed with the burnt fumes of the engine. Several groans came from the back and front but it was better than silence or screams. Richard reached out and touched Aria next to him to make sure she was still there. She would have hung like Richard if it weren't for the ground beneath her. The world was still spinning as she lifted her head. A few minor cuts from the broken glass bled down the side of her face. The sharp pain riding through her shoulder kept her from unconsciousness. Upfront, Raven was the first to gather all of his senses.

"Is everyone alright?" he yelled to the cabin.

All of the officers responded followed by Richard and Aria. Everyone was still alive and conscious. Raven took off his seat belt and readjusted before pushing open his passenger door. It was much heavier pushing against gravity. The sky opened up and he climbed out on top of the SUV. The blood running down the side of his face was quickly cooled by the breeze. Raven ignored a headache and looked down the road towards the van further on. The second had pulled in behind it. Now that they saw a survivor, a swarm of masked men poured out from the vehicles. Alakazam jumped out onto the road to continue the attack. It was an ambush.

"Everyone out of the van," Raven warned. "Get out now!"

Raven looked back inside. The officers were struggling to recover and Richard was having a hard time getting down without hitting Aria. They wouldn't make it out before the masked men were upon them. They needed time. Raven jumped off of the SUV to the ground, staggered as he stood, and ran up the ditch into the middle of the road. A pokeball enlarged in his hand. It caused several of the masked men to stop in curiosity. Raven put the men aside and narrowed his gaze on the alakazam. He had to stop it before it tried to lift the van while everyone was still inside. Raven threw his pokeball with all of his strength.

"Go, Milothesis, heavy fire!" he ordered.

A red stream of energy burst from the ball. Cinders dropped from it as it arched to the pavement. A typhlosion materialized on all fours in front of Raven. Milothesis reared up for battle. His jaws opened in a bellowing roar. Sharp crystal like shards erupted from his back before bursting into flame. Raven's code, "heavy fire" warned Milo that he would materialize in the midst of conflict.

"_Smokescreen_ then _flame charge_," Raven shouted with a swipe of his arm.

Milothesis snarled and leapt into a four legged sprint. Black smoke poured from his mouth in heavy billows. It expanded and filled the entire length of the road before catching the wind. The SUV was blocked from view and for a moment, Milo disappeared from sight. Alakazam stopped his advance and glanced back and forth to try and find him. A glowing red spot grew larger until it burned away the haze and Milothesis jumped out of the smoke. The flames on his back expanded to coat him in fire. He shot across the road like a flaming bullet in a _flame charge_. Alakazam took a step back in intimidation but did not retreat. He closed his eyes and raised his arms in another specially trained _telekinesis_. His eyes flashed open in a hot glow. Alakazam threw up his hands and Milothesis launched into the air. Behind the smoke, Richard helped Aria out onto the top of the SUV. The pain in her shoulder and thigh stabbed into her nerves but the adrenaline pouring through her system contained it to a grimacing wince. They dropped down to the grass with the help of the other officers. The smoke reach them and instigated a small fit of coughing. It stimulated Aria to release both fire canines.

"They're coming," they heard Raven yell from inside the smoke.

Richard cursed and threw off his hand stitched jacket. The only explanation for the attack was that Dragon Fang found out about Aria's transfer. They were coming to finish what they started. Richard pulled out a pokeball from a belt none of them even knew existed. A hitmonchan materialized with two false jabs and a bounce as if about to go into a boxing match.

"You have to run," Richard said to Aria. "Run as fast and as far as you can."

Aria tried to protest.

"No, let us handle this. They're here for you, not us. If they land a single hit on you, it's over. Go, now. Run!"

Aria hesitated. It didn't feel right to leave just because of a little smoke. She looked to the other three officers gathered around them. Several of their pokemon materialized to prepare for the group of masked men making their way through the smoke. They all believed the same thing as Richard. It was their job to protect her and they would not run from their duty. They would buy her as much time as possible. From the gossip they heard, Aria could take care of herself. That's what they needed her to do right now, survive.

"We'll hold them off and find you later," one of the officers encouraged.

"We can handle a few small fry," another added.

"Go! Only fight if you have to!"

The only choice Aria had was to abandon the escort. They couldn't fight properly if they were distracted trying to watch out for her. She reluctantly turned for the woods. She ran as fast as she could with her fire canines at her side. Running was what Aria knew and it was what she excelled in. She would leave fighting the bad guys up to the professionals. And dealing with criminal organizations was indeed Raven's specialty. As Milothesis levitated in the air, he did not panic for a moment. Raven ordered an _ember_ down from the heavens. Milothesis looked down and spat out a series of fireballs. They crashed down to the pavement and exploded in splashes of molten energy. Alakazam was pelted by the onslaught and broke concentration. He stumbled back and Milothesis dropped to the street. The _smokescreen_ began to clear and Raven could see the van again. Alakazam was not the only pokemon waiting inside. A grovyle as fast as the wind parted the smoke. It sprinted for Raven with its leaf blades drawn. He would put an end to the resistance by taking out the source.

"Milo!" Raven shouted in alarm.

The typhlosion looked back and gave Alakazam the chance he needed to retaliate. A _confusion_ struck him down to all fours. Milo had to defeat Alakazam before picking up another opponent. Grovyle raced past the two pokemon unhindered. There was no time to dodge. Raven stepped back and raised his arms as Grovyle struck him square in the chest with a _quick attack_. He grabbed the wood gecko's arms as they collided and fell back to the ground. He struggled to keep the green blades away. Grovyle snapped down at his face, trying to break through the hold. Raven turned his head away to avoid losing a chunk of flesh.

"Code 742, Snowfall," he yelled through the struggle. "Amber, Release!"

A small click and brief _bing_ came from Raven's hip. It was the voice activation embedded into his pokebelt, a technology few could afford. One of the release buttons on his belt glowed. A luxury ball popped off, enlarged, and opened. A stream of energy flowed out off to the side. An elegantly poised persian removed her materialization with a toss of her whiskers. The first thing she saw was her trainer struggling on the ground with a grovyle. A _leaf blade_ almost cut him across the throat. Amber's fur spiked with the ferocity of her snarl. She pounced onto Grovyle's back with a _bite_. He released Raven and was powerless to stop the persian from throwing him to the ground. Amber pursued with a vengeful series of _fury swipes_. They were almost too painful to watch. Ignoring the ache in his back, Raven sat up and looked over to the fight. Grovyle was trapped beneath Amber and another _bite_ sealed his feint. This fight was over. He called over to Amber. She immediately raised her head and looked back to him. The gecko pokemon was abandoned quicker than a worn out toy. Amber's mood changed instantaneously now that Raven was out of peril. She bounded over to him and purred while rubbing her face and then body into him. Raven could not shield himself from the affection that almost put him on the ground again.

"Good girl, Amber, but we're not done yet," he said.

The _smokescreen_ dissipated and revealed the rest of the battlefield. Milothesis used another _flame charge_ to remove Alakazam from the fight. More adversaries ran for the woods but the officers in front of them were harder to avoid than anticipated. Richard was right in the middle of it fighting just as hard. Several adversaries broke through the line and ran into the woods after something. It had to be Aria. Milothesis ran back to Raven's side as he stood and shouted instructions to his compatriots. They couldn't let the masked men catch up. Raven and his pokemon raced after the throngs of battle. He prayed that Aria was as fast as she claimed to be.


	30. Into the Woods Arc: 2

Into the Woods Arc: 2

_Run. Run as hard as you can. _

_Don't stop. Don't look back. If you do, you're as good as dead._

Swatches of needles pricked Aria's lungs with each breath. The forest was a blurr of violence and confusion. The screech of a spinarak ended with a hitmonchan's punch. Sparks of electricity tore a golbat from the sky in a flashing burst of energy. Aria flinched as something rocketed past her but she did not stop. She ran through the woods away from the road without a single glance behind. She knew that the moment she saw her friends in danger, her legs would stop working. Her conscious would spew from every pour in her body and she would have to fight. The sounds of battling pokemon and shouted commands trailing in her wake filled each step with adrenaline. All those years spent running in the mountain were finally paying off. Aria was fast. She could run through the forest as fast as any pokemon but she was not fast enough to outrun the beat of wings. A enemy pidgey broke through the police's defenses. Aria looked up as it swooped overhead. It had a pokeball in each foot. The pokeballs were set on a timed release and dropped out of the sky. The living grenades popped open before they hit the ground and two energy streams flowed out. Aria and her fire canines slid to an abrupt halt when two grimers materialized right in the middle of their path. It was a far more advanced tactic than any poacher would have used at the Con. Aria finally made it to the criminal big leagues. The grimers dug up huge mounds of dirt and flung them in mirror _mud slaps_. Aria threw her body into the brunt of it. She was not afraid of a little dirt and she was too tall for it to blind her. The most important thing was that Rolo and Lopo were shielded from the attack. Throwing bags of mulch around the Con's visitor center with the other troopers occasionally landed one in her chest and thighs. The attack barely phased her. Aria threw away the dirt. First the Surf, then the pokemon center, and now this, she was sick and tired of being chased. She was a pokemon trainer just as much as the others. It was time to fight back. It was time to stop running.

"Rolo, Lopo!" she called. "Round'em up and let'em burn!"

Both canines swiftly returned to her side and barked simultaneously. The strategy was simple: use a tag team attack to coral and defeat their opponent, just like a rowdy wild pokemon at the Con.

"Double cover!" Aria commanded.

Lopo hopped to the front and used _double team_. A doppelganger blurred into solidity beside him. The two houndours took off, one for each opponent. The first, and closest grimer, belched out a _sludge_. It slid over the forest floor in a putrid display of a Halloween gimmick gone wrong. The grimer's corresponding houndour jumped to avoid running through it. Only the real one needed to dodge. Because of that, the second grimer realized that the houndour running at him was fake. There was no danger. His attention shifted to Aria but the doppelganger did not stop. It launched for Grimer. The _fire fang_ that clamped to his head was real. The houndour mirage flickered. It shimmered and dissipated to reveal a growlithe underneath. Rolo hid within the _double team_ for a sneak attack. He landed on the ground with his teeth clenched tight. He whipped the grimer around like a discus. The sludge pokemon soared straight for its counterpart. The collision took the original completely by surprise. Their sludgy bodies melded together. Lopo turned on his heels and Rolo approached from the opposite side. Two f_lamethrowers_ spewed from grinning lips. The mass of slimy noxious bodies lit up better than gasoline. The feints were instantaneous.

Aria's attention pulled away when something heavy wrapped around her legs. They were forced together and pulled out from underneath her. She yelped and hit the ground face first. Wriggling onto her side, she looked behind her. A muk's sinister grin fell upon her. He pulled his girth up onto her hips. Suffocation was a perfectly good means of execution. Aria screamed for her pokemon. Lopo barked. Rolo obeyed and took the lead with an _agility_. He jumped over Aria's torso to circle Muk from the right while using _flamethrower_. Immediately after, Lopo jumped over Aria from the opposite side and circled from the left with his _flamethrower_. The two flaming jets left a burning spiral along the purple ooze covered flesh. The canines crossed paths to finish the circle. A flambé of moaning cries writhed on the forest floor. Muk's oily body was his own destruction. Lopo and Rolo returned to Aria's side and they each took a mouthful of hoodie at her shoulders. Aria reached back and grabbed their necks. The canines pulled her out into safety. Aria stood and looked down to her pants heavy with ooze that smelled like pus and rotting meat. Lopo set them on fire to help remove the discharge (she'd rather be burned in fire than plasmic acid). Aria patted down the flames but the stench still lingered. She glanced up.

Looking back at the others was unavoidable.

Embers swirled past her into the forest turned battlefield. Pokemon were engaged in battles from root to canopy. Officers desperately held their ground against numerous unrestrained pokemon and their trainers. She had seen these cruel and reckless tactics before with the thugs in the alley and poachers at home. Richard had the worst of it because he was separated from his pokemon. Hitmonchan was trapped between two beedrill. The punching pokemon ducked and dodged the stingers like the professional boxer he was. To take the offensive would create an opening for a poisonous stinger to stab him three inches deep. He could not break free. Richard fell to the ground nearby. Blood dripped onto his white collar from a busted lip. The hours he spent training with his pokemon had come in handy but fighting both trainer and pokemon at the same time was a challenge. A koffing floated over to capitalize on the moment. His poisonous gas would cripple Richard, possibly even kill him if the dose was high enough. Aria could not let that happen.

Richard grabbed his ribs. He was lucky they were only bruised otherwise he might as well have written his last will and testament in the dirt. He propped up on an elbow with ragged breaths. Koffing levitated close to him, hissing and wheezing in anticipation. Poisonous gas began to seep out from the craters in his body. Aria took a flying leap before the gas could descend. She jumped and snatched the purple balloon out of the air. The poisonous cloud dissipated without more fumes to keep it alive. Aria fell to her side and rolled onto her back. Koffing made several dull air horn like noises in protest. It struggled to shake her off and break free with a _levitate_ ability.

"Rolo, _retaliate_!" Aria said.

She released her hold without warning. Koffing shot up into the air because of the _levitate_. He rose straight into Rolo's _retaliate_. The growlithe rammed into Koffing, sending him flying off to the side. Since Richard, Aria's comrade in arms in this melee, had fallen, it did twice as much damage. Koffing dropped to the ground and did not get back up. Aria crawled to Richard's side.

"Are you alright?" she said. "Were you poisoned? Can you stand?"

"I'm ok," Richard grimaced.

Aria helped him stand but he was more concerned about her madman leap straight into the body of an enemy pokemon then himself. Meanwhile, Hitmonchan received his own assistance when an ally heracross charged into one of the beedrill. The punching pokemon delivered a _sky uppercut_ to the other so beautifully it became an instant KO. Now free, Hitmonchan ran over to Richard's side. The DA wiped the blood from his chin and looked to Aria.

"I thought I told you to get out of here," he said.

Before she could reply, a loud crack shocked the forest. Trees splintered. Something popped. An old pine began to tilt in their direction. Several people in the vicinity yelled in warning.

"Scatter!"

"Run!"

Aria and her canines bolted to the left. Hitmonchan pushed Richard off to the right. The large pine tree fell for the ground. Moaning and splintering branches crackled through the air. The ground shook with the hit. Pine needles clacked against the forest floor like a miniature rain storm. Aria cleared the fall and turned back to see if Richard had done the same. He was nowhere in sight amongst the branches. She rushed into them to make sure he was not trapped underneath. Lopo and Rolo struggled to stay at her side through the large debris.

"Mr. Hemlock!" she shouted. "Richard!?"

Aria stepped up onto the thick trunk of the tree. Something cold and dark pierced her senses. It froze her in place. The feeling tapped her on the shoulder with a clawed ghostly hand. Aria slowly looked to her side down the tree trunk. The shadow was waiting for her to glance his way. The temperature cooled several degrees. It frosted the bark along the tree. The shadow rippled and rose before transforming into a gengar. The grin on his face matched the wicked look Aria saw in her nightmares. She did not see her attacker that night in the pokemon center but her gut told her that this was the very same pokemon. Gengar smiled. He remembered Aria. How could he forget? Aside from her guardian pokemon attacking him, the _dream eater_ he had performed was the best he had ever executed. For some reason, Aria's dreams had the best of both worlds. It had the rejuvenating effect of a pokemon and the sweetness that came from humans. It was strong enough to set an addiction. Gengar wanted nothing more than to haunt her for all eternity. Without her fire canines to stop him, he would pull every last bit of sanity from her soul night by night. But Rolo and Lopo weren't the only ones watching over Aria. Something almost as silent as Gengar's shadow jumped onto the tree trunk behind him. Claws extended into the bark. Shoulders rolled in preparation. A persian crouched down, froze, and pounced. Gengar's body dissipated as Amber jumped through it with non effective _fury swipes_. It was enough to scare the gengar into reassembling his ghostly wisps further back along the tree. It turned out that even ghosts could be frightened.

Aria was not expecting the assistance. Amber turned on the log a foot or so in front of Aria to face Gengar. She balanced on the tree in perfect distribution. Her tail flicked back and forth. She could fight on the tree as easily as solid ground. Gengar may have had the type advantage but she had the terrain to hers. Amber casually flicked a glance back at Aria. She looked the human up and down. Aria cocked her head. Amber was unimpressed and sneered. Aria suddenly felt insulted by a pokemon she had never met before. Gengar frowned but he could handle the cat. The two fire canines that jumped onto the tree behind her were another story. Lopo whipped his head down the log. The sight and smell of the gengar made his hair stand on end. His rage billowed as hard as his flames. Gengar quickly slipped into shadow form and wisely retreated. Lopo would have chased after him if Rolo's reprimanding bark did not remind him of the mission. With the threat gone, the two fire canines inspected Amber. She was perturbed by their smell, appearance, and presence. A hiss told them both to shove off. Off to the side, Hitmonchan tossed aside a blanket of pine needles and helped Richard to his feet. Proper placement and a little luck kept them from getting crushed. Aria was relieved to see them both unharmed. The hiss of a crobat broke her concentration. She ducked as it swooped past while in battle with a swellow. They were still in the middle of a battlefield and had to keep their guard up. The group glanced over to a typhlosion running in their direction. Aria tilted her head.

Was Raven riding its back?

Milothesis came to a halt in front of the group with Raven on his back. He slipped off before Aria could comment.

"Things are out of control," he said. "They brought more men and pokemon than we can handle. We have to regroup and-,"

A metal coated roar rattled the forest. Something hit the ground heavy enough to produce a small earthquake. Aria fell off the log into Raven before glancing to the tree line. There was more cracking, popping, and crashing. A fully fledged steelix roared into existence. It turned, looked for something, and found Aria. It slapped a small tree out of its way, reducing it to splinters. There was no end to the madness. Steelix charged with another bellow, forcing the group to scatter. Raven jumped back on Milo and dashed off to the left while Aria went straight ahead to draw attention away from the less mobile Richard. It worked. The shaking earth and flying pine needles told Aria that Steelix was following her at full speed. She never ever believed that her death would come from rock and metal. The terrain became hilly and worked to Aria's advantage. She was small and nimble through the trees while Steelix had to waste energy plowing through them in an attempt to keep up. He was not a pokemon made for movement. Steelix threw his tail to the ground and splashed earth like water. Dirt and rocks sprayed Aria's back. The growlithe suddenly dropped from her side in a squeal.

"Rolo," Aria screamed.

A boulder soared through the air and exploded into a tree next to her with an ear splitting crack. Aria flinched away in a shower of wood. Her hoodie pulled against the shards before cuts burned across her shoulder and back. Aria yelled and stumbled to a stop while clutching her shoulder. She couldn't hear the warning bark over the crumpling trees. Something struck her in the back. It was hard like bone. Aria fell to the ground on her stomach as a tail made of iron-ized rock swept over her head. Aria covered her head with her hands and pressed her face in the dirt. She couldn't move. It was hard to when fear paralyzed the muscles and played a movie marathon of everything you've ever experienced in life across your eyes. The pressure standing on her back wouldn't let the fear settle

_Move, Aria! Get up!_ She heard. _I will help Rolo. We will find you later. Hurry now! Run!_

Lopo jumped off of Aria's back. She turned in enough time to see him run away into the wood. Not too far away, mayhem and destruction spewed from the rampaging steelix. A flash of typhlosion fire illuminated the smoke, dust, and broken wood. Trainers frantically scurried out of the way. Steelix was distracted by the others but not for long. There was no time to sit back and watch. Any moment now another tail could crash through the trees, tearing down everything in its path. Aria had to keep running. She did not know who yelled at her to run again (or why she trusted it enough to blindly obey), but she got up and slid down the opposite side of the hill. If she was too scared to run, she had to hide. Hiding would throw her pursuers off balance. With nothing to chase, they would have to stop and reconsider their options under heavy police fire. It might just change their perspective on the situation and retreat. But Aria was not alone. A magmar, dustox, and ariados poured over the ridge to continue the hunt. A rather large hole in the ground underneath an old uprooted tree caught Aria's attention. She sprinted for it and crawled inside the cave like space. The short tunnel was narrow and expanded into a larger cavity. An explosion of dirt and wood sprayed across the entrance. Aria's pounding heart deafened her ears. She waited for the debris to settle. It was quiet. A clicking hiss rattled from outside. Ariados appeared at the top of the hole. Aria scooted back in a panic until something ran into her arms and back. She thought it was a root until it started to move. Aria felt it slide along her back and legs like a rope. It was thick and heavy. Ariados skittered to the floor in a hiss but abruptly stopped. The shadows behind Aria moved. Something rose out of them, flared, and turned to the entrance of the tunnel.

_Who dares to disturb me?_

An arbok, larger than a grown man, hissed in a manner that made Aria and Ariados' blood shiver. It's coiled body unwraveled. A part of Arbok's tail crossed over Aria's stomach as he righted himself. It was as heavy as a steel cable. Aria's heart stopped beating but she was not the one in danger. Ariados' presence at the mouth of the cave was a brazen encroachment onto Arbok's territory. The cobra lashed forward in a _bite_. Ariados dodged it by climbing onto the wall and skittering out of the tunnel. Arbok slithered out of the hole in full force. Aria was nearly crushed in the process. She held her breath and tightened her core to keep her organs intact. She was forgotten in the tunnel as the two pokemon stood in a face off outside of the hole. Slender fangs snapped at long legs but normal attacks weren't going to cut it. They were both too experienced. Oily discharge seeped from the special glands embedded within Arbok's purple scales. It dripped down and collected at the tip of his tail. He whipped out a _sludge bomb_ but Ariados saw it coming. He skittered out of the way as the bomb hit the ground and splashed like hot acid. Overhead, Dustox joined the fight and showered Arbok in a plume of _poison powder_. It was as effective as a spring breeze carrying flower blossoms. Arbok reared up and snatched Dustox out of the air in a single devastating _thunder fang_. He spat the moth to the ground in disgust. It tasted like garbage and talcum powered. Ariados tried a sneak attack but Arbok's tail had a life of its own. It lashed across the ground in a splash of dirt and was easy enough to dodge. The _crunch_ that followed was not. Arbok took a mouthful of spider and wrapped his tail around the pokemon to constrict it to death. When the hissing and scratching finally paused, Aria scrambled out of the hole and staggered to her feet while clutching her stomach. Arbok felt her presence. She was yet another adversary to annihilate. He turned his head and hissed before realizing that it was a human, not a pokemon, standing behind him. The coils around the feinted ariados loosened. The smell, the face, the weird look in her eyes, this was not just any human. This was the one Arbok came across at the mountain pond and flooded fields. Aria was just as stunned as he was. The humiliation from both events rekindled. Arbok flared his hood and rose to strike but Aria's gaze fell behind him to the magmar taking in a deep breath.

"Watch out!" she yelled.

Aria pointed to the spitfire pokemon. Arbok whirled around. The attack was unavoidable. A clear iridescent glaze suddenly washed down his scales. It created a form fitting defensive barrier across his body. It was the thickest _protect_ Aria had ever seen. Magmar used _flamethrower_. The fire hit the cobra dead on but the flames diverted in all directions. Aria stood directly behind Arbok's crystalline defense and did little more than shield herself against the sudden influx of heat. The _flamethrower_ ended and Aria saw her chance. She sprinted away from the situation. Arbok was too busy looking at the mayhem unfolding around him to care. There was a war going on and he did not want any part of it. He took the trainer's example and escaped before Magmar could do anything else. The three separated. Aria ran so hard, she couldn't see straight. She crested a small mound without realizing there was a drop on the other side. A gasp slit the space between earth and sky. The ground was gone by the time she looked down. The fall wouldn't kill her but injury was unavoidable. The possibilities of broken limbs and splintered bone were scary but at least she wasn't alone. Another body suddenly jumped off of the edge alongside her. Milothesis grabbed Aria out from the air. He hit the ground in a roll and stopped on his back with Aria spread over his belly. He grunted out of painful annoyance than real injury. Aria lifted up her head from his belly in thankful confusion.

"Aria," someone called from a distance.

She carefully slid off of Milothesis, uninjured. Once she was off, he rolled the other way to avoid hitting her. Aria looked up to the call. Raven ran towards her with Rolo and Lopo a few paces ahead. They sprinted over to her.

"Withdraw your pokemon," he continued. "Hurry!"

"What?" Aria questioned.

It was a crazy idea. They were in the middle of a war zone. Smoke floated in wafting sheets from burning trees. The forest looked like it was bombarded with RPGs and tank shells. Pokemon were their first line of defense.

"Just do it, trust me!" Raven answered.

He jumped over the body of a feinted beedrill. He had Milothesis' ball in hand in preparation to withdraw him. Aria obeyed and withdrew the fire canines. Raven came closer and slowed. A gunshot rang out. The bullet sunk into a tree beside Raven. He flinched but continued his mission and withdrew Milothesis now that he was in range.

"Get down," Raven ordered. "Come-,"

Another gunshot rang out. It grazed his arm. Raven tripped and fell but kept his grip on the pokeball in his hand. Aria ran over the rest of the way and knelt at his side. A scizor and its trainer were coming their way. It was the enemy. Raven ignored his injury and grabbed onto Aria.

"Do it, now!" he shouted to an officer that must have been nearby.

An abra suddenly appeared next to Aria and Raven. It put a hand on each of them. The three vanished into thin air with a _teleport_. Several gunshots followed and struck the trees just beyond where they had been. Scizor slid to a halt in the now empty spot. His trainer slowed to a stop next to him. He popped out the empty cartridge of his Glock, slapped another in, and cocked the smoking gun. In a world filled with pokemon, guns and knives had lost popularity but they did not disappear. Many unscrupulous characters still used them. Lieutenant Harris Boyd was one of them. Harris lowered the gun and pulled off his mask in a heavy pant. Milliseconds separated him from a completed mission. For a third time, Aria Wicket had evaded his grasp.


	31. Into the Woods Arc: 3

Into the Woods Arc: 3

Silence.

The roar of battle stopped. It was gone so quickly that it could have been a figment of the imagination. Sound came back slowly as if the senses were recovering from an explosion or gunshot. An open patch of grass replaced the forest floor. A two lane road flanked by thin woods ran along it. The long expanse of highway slathered in pokemon battles had changed into something rural and quiet, but not without use. Aria and Raven appeared in the middle of it. Road dust kicked up from their sudden appearance. Aria knelt at Raven's side. He sat on his knees, holding his wounded arm, just as they had done moments before. The world had changed in the blink of an eye. _Teleportation_ was truly an amazing feat. Aria jumped to her feet in alarm and immediately fell nauseous. Dizziness pushed her back down onto the pavement with a forceful hand. The physical strain of a _teleport_ was much harsher on humans than pokemon. Raven bent forward. He threw up, coughed, and spat. Aria stared at the ground until the feeling settled. She touched her head to make sure her senses were still intact before looking over to her partner. Raven threw up a second time. Aria stood up again, this time more slowly, and came to his side away from the mess. She touched his shoulder and helped him bend back away from it. A car honked from behind and made them both flinch. The vehicle swerved around the two trainers and continued down the road. Aria noticed their new surroundings before Raven did. She looked up for more cars and found one coming the opposite way. Getting Raven to his feet was harder than expected. His legs wobbled worse than noodles on a shaky hand and the wound on his arm made holding him difficult. But with a now empty stomach, it was manageable. Aria guided him off the road with the car driving past in the background. She placed him down in the grassy bank a few feet from the road and knelt down again. First an ambush and now this, Aria was getting the feeling that next time she wanted to leave the Con's borders, she wouldn't.

"This is madness," Aria softly said. "I can't believe this is happening."

Raven grunted a partial agreement. Dragon Fang's attack was a surprise but not unbelievable, just whole heartedly stupid and desperate. The _teleportation_ was a little harder to believe. It was a miracle they were alive. Raven had _teleportation_ training when he first joined the force but it was never used until now. Even then, there was always a risk of death: teleporting in the middle of a wall, in the ground, coming out with a missing limb, or lost in the dimension in between. It was done with two psychic pokemon, one to receive and one to send, with experienced types who knew exactly where to go and when, with perfect coordination from each team. Only licensed cops and detectives who could afford the payout of the sessions could do it. There was probably only one or two fully licensed teleporters on the whole continent. It was too dangerous and risky for more. Without a destination and losing their guide halfway along the way, the two were lucky their body parts were in all of the right places. By every means, they should have died. It was a mystery science would have loved to answer but pain was more pressing than philosophy. Raven took off his jacket to examine the bullet wound properly. A concerned hiss escaped Aria's teeth as she watched. Raven wrapped his scarf around the cut.

"It's not that bad, it's only a graze," he said.

Aria disagreed. Even if the bullet was not lodged inside, there was always a possibility that it struck an artery and he would bleed to death. The wound could get infected and if it wasn't treated right, he could lose an arm or even his life. And for Aria, she could only move her shoulder because of the adrenaline pumping through her system and her knee felt like it had been shot with an arrow. They were both bloody messes that pinched Death's cheek like an old grandma who had no idea how it made the victim feel. Aria got up and walked away, closer to the road. Standing still did not feel right considering how much running she was told to do. She put a hand over her mouth and paced in front of Raven hard enough to dig a ditch. They were seemingly away from the war zone but that didn't mean a masked man wouldn't pop out of the woods at any moment. Then there was everyone who got left behind. They could be sighing their last breath right now while Aria and Raven were lying around in the grass. It was hard to understand how they came to this point. She had been assured that it would be safe. They told her that everything would be alright and she trusted them. Raven looked up and was reminded of the _dream eater_ victim he saw the other night. Shock induced confusion was one of the worst emotions to deal with. It easily led to panic.

"It's alright now, Aria," he tried to explain through a wince.

"It's not alright," Aria corrected. "Who were those guys? They were Dragon Fang weren't they, just like before? This all happened because I jumped off of the ship, isn't it? They still think I know something that I don't."

"Would you, please, calm down. I know this is a lot to take in."

"And where is this place? Where are the others? Did anyone follow us? How did we even get here? Oh, God this can't be happening _again_. Too bad there's not a ship I can jump off this time. I could try jumping the ditch. I may just twist my ankle but hey, it wouldn't be a challenge if I wasn't cripple."

Aria felt like her life was exploding. Reason and normality were blown to tiny itty bitty bits and scattered to the four winds the moment she stepped on the Surf. Nothing had been right since then. What she knew about the world was off kilter. Fear and concern cascaded from her consciousness, releasing all safety valves to everything she knew and understood. It felt like her soul was broken and draining out to the last drop. It had to be filled again or she would lose her sanity. The choice now was to use fear or fortitude. The effects of the _dream eater_ pushed for chaos but something in the emptiness of her soul, revealed through the turmoil flushing her system, wanted something else. This feeling had substance. It had meaning. It was somehow easier to slip into than fear, which is rare and unusual. Aria gave in to this strange new feeling. She stood still and covered her eyes with her hands. Shutting out the world, even for a small moment, cooled the heated blood of battle in her veins. Deep long inhales of composure and exhales of frantic paranoia relaxed her body. Assessing the situation should have been the first thing in her mind. She was a veteran of chaos now. With the Surf, pokemon center, and interrogation, she experienced all of this mayhem before. And more importantly, she survived. She could handle this situation just like the others. She had to think of the positives. Neither of them were mortally wounded or maimed. They were still alive and that was the important part. Old training from Aria's experience at the Con came to the forefront of her thoughts. She reigned in the emotional chaos with memories of getting lost on the mountain for hours. She had been attacked by pokemon and stranded in unusual places before. This was no different, in fact, this was better because she had a partner with her. She was not alone. There was Raven and a belt full of pokemon around her waist.

Off to the side, Raven realized he was in more pain than he realized. It was hard to keep focus and the world occasionally tilted to one side and pretended to be a carnival fun house. The injuries from the car wreck and fighting, combined with the effects of the _teleport,_ made moving on his own impossible. He fingered for a pokebelt on his hip but it fumbled out from his fingers. Raven cursed and used his voice activation. Belle materialized with a twirl but stopped when she saw her trainer's distress. Two _heal bells_ put Raven in a tolerable state by dulling the pain and wiping out many of the _teleportation_ side effects. Raven glanced around and realized Aria had wandered some distance away in her pacing. There was no telling how far they were from the battlefield. Staying close was a good idea. Raven called out to her but his voice lost his strength halfway through. Aria had her back to him. She stood perfectly still. There was something different about the way she stood there. It was something he could not quite put into words or understand. She fell into her surroundings, became a part of the environment, as if she belonged there like a wild pokemon. It was a perfect state to be in to gauge one's surroundings. Aria closed her eyes to do just that.

The ranger fell into her senses.

Her mind and body calmed from the panicked state aroused by the ambush. The pair's biggest priority was making sure it was safe. Aria reached out into the world around her with her soul. This was a sense not clearly identifiable like the others. It was something science would never explain. She merely _sensed_. There was no unnerving pressure of an unwanted gaze. There was no bloodlust making her hair stick up on end. She felt no danger outside of her anxious imagination which was quieted through concentration. There was no immediate threat to their lives. The ranger slowly exhaled and relaxed even further. Her hands dropped to her waist. She focused on a new sense: sound. There was stillness along the road and from the woods close by. It was a hushed silence, quiet not dead. Noises natural to the outdoors kept the air alive. There was a chime, a _tink_ like ring that was almost too feint to catch. It was familiar. The ranger did not necessarily hear Raven but she knew he was behind her. Two cars had passed within close proximity of each other. There had to be something related to civilization nearby. They passed too slowly to be on the highway so they must be on some type of smaller road. The sound evaluation ended and transitioned to smell. The burning sting of smoke was gone. The air was considerably dull without the sharp scent of broken tree sap. Overall, the air was clean but not pure. It supported human activity and revealed that the battlefield was either down wind or nowhere nearby.

With nothing to taste, Aria transitioned to touch. The sun was warm on her skin. The ambient temperature had not changed. The _teleportation_ did not bring them to a different altitude or hemisphere. That was a good sign. Aria opened her eyes and saw trees. They were not the same species as the forest along the GC highway. To have such a drastic change meant that they were miles and miles away from the battlefield. Aria followed the tree trunks up to the canopy and transitioned to the sky. The sun had changed its position relatively little. It was cloudier than before. The heat of the road drew her attention back to the ground. A road sign, free of bullet holes and graffiti, jutted out of the grass a mile or two away. It was too far away to make out the words. Aria had gathered all of the information she could. The inspection was complete. The area was safe. She felt much more in control than before and turned to look at Raven. Her gaze snapped him out of the enchantment.

"I think we've been teleported far from the battlefield," she explained. "But we're still in Valenis, not close to a major city, but not the backwoods either. We can rule out the costal and mountainous sections. I would say it's somewhere inland which is good and bad news depending on how you want to take it. We're out of harm's way but I don't have a clue where we are exactly."

Raven was dumbfounded. Sure, he had deductive skills but he was good at reading people not nature. He was glad Aria was raised in the forestry business. Her conclusions, although vague, were more than anything he could have come up with. Aria switched priorities and came back over to Raven's side. With the area secure, it was time for a physical check. She knelt down next to him with a confidence unusual for a civilian who just lived through a trauma.

"Ok, let's make sure we do some damage control before we start moving around again. Adrenaline can hide a lot of injuries," she said.

Raven was a little confused. The scared woman he first found cowering in the police station was nowhere in sight. Aria was in full blown trooper mode, acting as if she was rescuing a lost hiker in the mountain. When she was not panicked and scared, she was downright resourceful and in control. It's no wonder she survived this long. Raven gave up his authority to the professional. Aria looked him over, asked some questions about pain and movement, and looked for obvious injuries. The biggest one was the bullet grazing on his arm. He had enough minor cuts and bruises to look like he survived a zombie attack. The gash on his head was long but shallow. A first degree burn spotted his leg but it would heal and leave a temporary scar. Raven would be alright. It was now Aria's turn to inspect herself. Many of her old injuries had reopened and were flaring up, especially her shoulder and knee. The new ones were kept to a few bruises and some cuts across her shoulder and arm. All of her joints and bones were still intact so there was nothing to really worry about. Raven swore she had more injuries when they first landed. They both got off lucky. It was time to move on to their pokemon. Fighting could be just as treacherous for them as it was for humans, and of course, Aria was not going to wait around for a pokemon center to see how bad it was.

"Let's do a roll call," she said. "Release all of the pokemon you used in the forest fight."

Aria looked to her pokebelt. Sebastian, Styx, and the canines were in their rightful place. She released Rolo and Lopo so that they stood in front of her. The moment they started wagging their tails, Aria's soul became a thousand times lighter. It took Raven a little longer to assemble his party. He did not like having all of his pokemon out at once but Aria would not stop staring at him until he complied. Belle floated off to the side so that the others in his party could line up in an orderly fashion. She became the tail end while Milothesis took the lead. Amber came in second followed by a swellow. One pokemon remained withdrawn. He was not used in battle so there was no need to release him.

"Good, looks like everybody made it," Aria said.

She smiled as she glanced over Raven's party. She finally got to see his pokemon first hand. Raven made a motion to withdraw them and her smile dropped.

"Wait," she said. "We have to check for injuries."

"Wouldn't it be better to leave them in their balls if they're hurt?" Raven asked. "We don't even have any pokegear."

"If you don't know how hurt they are, you don't know how long it will take them to heal. And if it's serious enough, they'll need immediate treatment. Plus, I don't need pokegear. I learned how to judge a pokemon's health in the field. There are no pokemon centers in the middle of the woods. Besides, it's important to know just how much stamina your pokemon has left, or if they have any status problems, in case they need to fight again."

Aria could tell Raven did not know how to accurately gauge his pokemon's health. It was a skill acquired over years of intensive pokemon handling.

"I can do it for your pokemon too. It won't be as precise, but if you let me, I can try."

The logic was sound but Raven was a bit reserved about letting his pokemon so close to Aria. There was a chance that they might get upset and hurt her. Then again, if he was standing nearby they wouldn't misbehave. He glanced around for an excuse to withdraw them but couldn't find anything legitimate.

"It won't attract attention will it?" Raven asked.

"If you pretend to lounge in the grass it'll be fine," Aria said. "We'll just look like a bunch of traveling trainers admiring one another's party. It'll catch a few eyes from passing cars but with everyone calm like this, they won't bother us."

Aria knelt down and patted her legs for Rolo and Lopo to come closer. She snuck a glance at Raven who was looking around again. He was acting awfully stubborn about the inspection. A few more seconds went by before he gave in. He sighed and agreed before shuffling closer to his party. There was something about his submission that reminded Aria of the white musketeer she met at the festival. She kept the thought to herself and began the examination. Lopo was first, followed by Rolo. She ran her hands over their bodies, checking paws, legs, and mouths, personalizing each movement. She ran her fingers around the ridges on Lopo's back and thoroughly rubbed Rolo's thick fur. As she worked, the canines were showered with praise and affection for their hard work during the ambush. Raven's pokemon waited awkwardly to the side. His approach to pokemon was drastically different than Aria's. He praised but he did not adore, and when they battled together it was a job more than a partnership. It was what they knew and what they assumed all pokemon had. Seeing Aria act this way to her pokemon made her a curiosity. Milothesis watched her the most intently and was also the first in line when she finished with the fire canines. He rose up to stand on two legs. The movement put Raven on edge.

"Be careful with him," Raven said. "He doesn't like to be touched."

Aria suddenly put both hands flat on Milothesis' chest. He tensed and his arms stiffened out to the side like planks of wood. Raven's words fell to the ground like dribble. Aria slid her hands down Milo's side, around his belly, and along his legs. She smiled when she realized how ticklish the typhlosion was. She was a master at reading pokemon. Milothesis liked to be petted. All of the endorphins he received from a good pet probably put him on a high stoners only wished they could achieve. Why would Raven make such a claim about his own pokemon and why did Milo pretend that it was true? Questions about Raven's relationship with his pokemon came to mind but now was probably not the best time to pry. To compensate, Aria made an effort to make sure all handling was enjoyable. She talked sweet to Milo with enough potency to spur a toothache. Milothesis would have blushed if he could. Aria's hands were soft, light, and knew exactly how to stroke his skin. His coat shuddered in enjoyment. It surprised both trainer and pokemon. Aria finished and transitioned to the next pokemon in line, Amber. She was not as straightforward with the cat as Milo. Amber needed a different sort of attention. Aria knelt down and raised her arms in offering.

"May I?" she asked.

Amber stopped licking her paw. She opened her eye much like a queen onto a servant offering a tempting service. She saw how hard Milothesis tried to repress his enjoyment and figured Aria was good at this sort of thing. She accepted the offering. Such opportunity did not come often. Aria waited for the persian to come to her before starting. She stroked and complimented the classy cat less often but with more formality. Amber was tempted to purr but restrained the inkling. She would never give Aria the satisfaction. The inspection was clean and by the time Aria made it to Raven's swellow, she had calmed completely. She inspected Swellow's wings and made sure everything was in place before finishing up. He chirped and jumped onto Aria's shoulder as she stood. She stroked his smooth breast feathers in return. The entire parties' inspection was one of the best she had ever performed. Never before had she felt so in tune with the pokemon she was working on.

"You have beautiful pokemon," Aria commented now that she was done.

Raven glanced away to the ground.

"I hope you have good news," he said to avoid the subject.

"I'm not an official expert but it doesn't look like we have any status problems. It's safe to assume that all of your pokemon are in the yellow. Milo took the worst of it so I would try to keep him reserved if you can. They used up a lot of stamina in battle."

Raven nodded and withdrew Milothesis, Belle, and Amber. Aria was disheartened to watch them go so quickly but the situation did not call for picnics and origin stories. Raven turned to his last pokemon.

"Archer," he said. "Find the closest settlement and report back."

The swellow took flight, circled around their heads, and soared off into the sky. They both let their gaze linger on him to avoided looking at each other. With nothing more to do than wait after a life changing experience, it was hard to act natural. Aria broke the ice first.

"Archer, I like that name," she said.

"Technically his name is S. 1," Raven explained. "Each precinct has a party of pokemon for cops to use if they don't have any of their own. Sometimes they are used for specific situations. They get passed around a lot so they try to keep things easy regarding names. I had to give him a name for a case I did and it just sort of stuck. He ended up partnering with me so much I think the precinct forgot he's not actually mine."

Aria knew several companies that used pokemon like that. It only made sense that the police did the same. They were probably classified as worker pokemon even though they did a lot of battling.

"We'll wait until Archer returns before moving. Hopefully, there'll be a town or city close by so we can find out where we are. We'll make up a plan on what to do next once we get a little more information."

Aria nodded. Now that pokemon were no longer involved, the tension began to rise. It was Raven's turn to take the lead. Both of them may have calmed but the situation was far from settled. Aria's first move toward stability involved snatching up the fire canines like grocery bags and holding them to her chest. Raven waited patiently with eyes constantly glancing down the road and into the woods. They did not have to wait long for Archer's return. There was some type of establishment in working order a few miles down. Archer guided the way. As they walked, Aria took off her hoodie and gave it to Raven to hide his blood stained shirt and jacket. She also rolled up her pant legs to hide the dirt crusted slime. The fire canines helped lick the blood off of her face and it took Raven a little longer to clean his on his own. Pulling the hood over his head helped hide the red stains. They both looked a little odd but they had no choice but to blend in as much as they could. The escort was compromised. Raven could not trust anyone or anything. Attracting as little attention as possible was a necessity. The facility nearby turned out to be a pit stop type shopping complex. There was a small collection of stores and two gas stations on opposite sides of the road. Luckily, the complex was catered to trainers on a journey whether traveling by foot or car. It made Raven and Aria's appearance from along the road common place. There would also be stores with battling supplies and a pokemon center.

The first thing the pair did was go into a convenience store. They bought a first aid kit and some water. Aria made friendly chatter with the clerk to avoid suspicion. She came up with some make believe story like she had done at the seaside pokemon center. It was easy to lie when the truth was so outrageous that it sounded like a story. They took their materials and cleaned up their wounds in the public restroom in the privacy of their stalls. Then, they went into a Greyblade Outfitter store. It was the only store with clothes. Raven wanted to change as soon as possible. Aria's dirty police warm ups and his blood dusted garments were suspicious. It was also what their assailants last saw them wearing. The store was part of an expensive chain but Raven told Aria not to worry about it. He had managed to keep both his police and undercover wallet during the fight and he would pay for it in cash. His undercover wallet was stocked for emergencies like this. Credit cards were out of the question because they could be electronically tracked. If Dragon Fang knew where to ambush them, they had good enough connections within the force to track their finances. The truth was bleak.

There was a traitor in the 23rd precinct.

With a sales representative stalking their every move, Raven grabbed a few items from the clearance rack and went into the dressing room. He grimaced though the pain caused from the grazing. Aria was used to changing with an injured shoulder so she knew what to expect. She found a suitable outfit and went into the dressing room. With new boots, cargo pants, an under armor shirt, light vest, fingerless gloves, and her pokebelt over her hip, she looked like a real ace trainer. The Greyblade emblem made her smirk. She might just have to call Liam for a sponsorship now. It took a little longer for Raven to finish. When he emerged, he looked just as impressive as Aria. He wore new pants, shoes, shirt, jacket, gloves, and a thin twin tailed scarf that hung over his shoulders. It matched the detailing on his jacket and pants. There was no hiding his lean and fit build against professional grade clothing material. A dusting of swagger kept his features serious and focused. Aria fluttered her eyes away when she realized she was staring. The Greyblades sure knew how to dress a trainer.

"Couldn't stay away from the scarves, I see," she lightly teased as he came out of the stall.

Raven smirked but the situation at hand quickly took precedence. He purchased their clothes (to the sales woman's delight) with a prepaid card. Its 300K coin stock was wiped out in an instant. Raven cursed the Greyblade's monopoly in the shopping complex and quickly pushed the expense aside. It was time to figure out where they had landed. Raven asked the salesperson for a map. For being such high valued customers, the representative threw out the red carpet. She brought them over to a small area designated for pokegear. There was a display of maps and pamphlets for trainers to take along. Despite the woman's friendliness, they got what they wanted and left the store. A quiet picnic bench, away from the main area, was the perfect place to set up shop. Raven laid out the map on the table. They were currently located in Harvest Creek: a small outlet for travelers located just off of a main highway. It was hundreds of miles away from Garden Cruise and the only stop on the highway for miles. It explained why everything in the complex was so expensive. Raven pulled away from the map and rubbed his chin in disbelief. They were so far away from the Garden Cruise safe house it was laughable. He cursed and walked away with his hands on his head. Aria sympathized with his frustration. They were far, far away from their intended destination but she did not get upset. She had no idea where she was supposed to be in the first place and at this point, anything away from Boulder felt like the same never ending distance. Unfortunately, the magnet train did not run along Harvest Creek. There was no means of transportation in the area: no train, bus, airport, or car rental service. Raven turned back to the table to think about their next step. He was the only one to make it out of the ambush with Aria. That meant it was solely his job to protect her. Going back to Garden Cruise was no longer an option. It was compromised the moment they were ambushed. Raven's options dwindled to pathetic scraps. He needed to check in with someone he could trust. They needed a plan of action. He needed help.

"Stay here," Raven said. "I'll be back in a minute."

Raven turned away and walked back to the outlets. Aria stayed at the table with her two fire canines keeping watch on both sides. He went down to the convenience store again and purchased a prepaid cell phone that he knew could not be traced. It was time for his undercover skills to come out in full force.


	32. Into the Woods Arc: 4

Into the Woods Arc: 4

Raven slipped into a small alcove between the stores of Harvest Creek. He hugged the corner of a building to shield his conversation from the public. A mole burrowed its way into the 23rd precinct and there was no telling who it was. It could be a detective, officer, or member of the escort. There was a possibility that the infiltration snaked all the way up to the brass. Making a call to the station was more than just risky. It was deadly. Two hours passed since the ambush. It was more than enough time for the mole to cover his tracks or let something fester. Raven entered a phone number and let his thumb hover over the send button. One more touch and it would dial. Their fate came down to plastic and data. If he sent the call and the person on the other line was dirty, he would deliver Aria into Dragon Fang's grasp. Raven put all of this faith into the person behind the number. He tapped the screen and lifted the phone to his ear. It rang twice.

"Marshall," the voice rehearsed.

"It's me," Raven said.

There was silence, shuffling, a door closed on the other end.

"Snow, is that you?" Sergeant Marshall whispered. "Good God man, what the hell happened? It's complete chaos."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Raven replied.

Sergeant Marshall calmed. The grudge between them flattened under the gravity of the situation.

"What's your status?" she continued.

"Operational."

"And the package?"

"Nothing a little string and tape can't patch."

". . ."

"What is it?"

". . ."

"Marshall. We have all of our parts."

"I'm sorry, it's just- you had only one guide and lost it halfway through the _teleportation_- by all means, you should be dead."

"I'm just as confused as you are but we don't have time for that. What about the others? Did they make it out?"

"No one's dead yet but its bad Snow, for everyone. Joe and Mack are in critical condition and we lost two pokemon."

Raven bit his lip and bowed his head. The skin on his hand blanched. He slammed a fist into the wall beside him. The rough face of the brick scratched it. Marshall shared his frustration through silence. Dragon Fang pulled an unprecedented stunt. They would pay for it in blood. It was no longer about law and order. It was personal. Raven regained his composure when he remembered that Aria was still with him. The escort was separated, compromised, and in pieces, but at least the mission was still intact. Dragon Fang had a solid punch but it wasn't a knockout. Raven still had a job to do.

"You know what this means, don't you?" he said.

"We have a pest problem and the bastard's one of us. When I find that snitch I'm going to cut off-,"

"Marshall."

"You can't come back here Snow, or anywhere the precinct knows about."

"We can't exactly stay here."

"Where are you now? Wait, it's better if I don't know, at least for now. Is there anywhere you can lay low?"

". . . maybe."

"Go there then, wherever it is. You don't have any other option. Stay off the grid. Remember, no permanent phones, real names, credit cards-,"

"I know what I'm doing."

"I sure as hell hope so because right now, you're the only thing keeping Dragon Fang at bay."

"I'll contact you again in two days."

Raven ended the call. He threw the phone on the ground, smashed it, and dumped the pieces in the nearest garbage can. Going undercover and staying off the grid was his specialty but it didn't make the situation any less enjoyable. In fact, it pissed Raven off just as much as the ambush. The operation had crumbled to pieces and now it eroded into dust. This was not the way things were supposed to go. He walked away from the corner as casually as he could and made his way back to the picnic table where Aria was waiting. She sat on the top and rested her feet on the bench with the fire canines beside her. Her legs bounced up and down in nervous shivers. Being alone in an unfamiliar place weakened Aria's confidence. The adrenaline of the fight and discovering Harvest Creek finally left her veins. And when Raven steamed by without a word, Aria's gut twisted. The _dream eater_ kicked paranoia back into gear.

"So what do we do now?" Aria asked.

"We go dark, get off the grid," Raven said. "This way they can't find us and try to finish the job. I have some contacts in Reinfield. There's also a safe house near Fasshet-,"

"Whoah, whoah, wait a minute. You want to go to another safe house? I don't think they're as safe as you think."

"They are . . . We just had a little complication."

"Little? Did you miss the war zone we just escaped? I think it's a bit more than that."

"Well sarcasm isn't going to help us so I suggest you control it."

"Hey, I have the right to be sarcastic."

"You have the right to shut the hell up."

"What the hell is your problem?"

"Trying to baby you is my problem."

"You're a real son of a bitch, you know that?"

Aria turned away. She put as much of her back to Raven as she could. The fire canines did not know exactly what was going on but Aria's energy was disturbed and they didn't like it. Raven rolled his eyes and ignored her. There was too much at stake here for him to deal with attitude. His fellow officers were lying on their backs in a hospital waiting to see if they would live or die because of a couple of thugs. Raven looked at the map but he couldn't see anything. The cut on his hand smeared blood over it and he cursed. It was another failure to add to the list. Aria bundled a little closer into herself. The _dream eater_ whispered in her ear and she tried to brush it away. Her shoulder began to ache.

"Going dark, is that even a plan?" Aria mumbled a little too loudly.

"We follow protocol," Raven barked.

"That's right, because you're a detective, not a salesman. And what does protocol say?"

"We go to another safe house."

"So I can open the door and have it blow up, because that's the trend of things right now. No thanks, I'll pass. Oh, sorry, that's too much sarcasm for you, isn't it?"

"Now who's being the bitch?"

Aria's legs stopped bouncing. The _dream eater_ hung over her shoulders as a ghostly lover. It did not need much to stick onto her soul. There was enough hatred hidden deep inside to latch onto. It only needed a small crack to slip through and a near death experience was the perfect fit. Lopo stepped out of the shadow of Aria's back. Rolo tried to nudge her hand. She pulled it away by squeezing her shirt against her skin. This was just like before. Trusting the police had brought nothing but chaos. She should have listened to Richard when he told her to sue them for all they were worth. She couldn't take back the past but she did not have to bring it into her future. Aria stood up. Rolo and Lopo looked to each other before folding back their ears and jumping down to her sides. She started walking away. Raven glanced up.

"Hey, where are you going?" he shouted.

"You're not the only one who has protocol," she snapped.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm going home."

"This is no time for jokes."

"You think I'm joking?"

Aria turned around. The glistening ferocity of her eyes jolted Raven awake. She was being serious. Aria continued down the hill. Raven jumped up to catch her. He ran across the way and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her to a stop. Two sharp barks cut through his grip. The fire canines surrounded Raven. He immediately released his hold. One cry from Aria and they would torch him to ashes. Aria whirled around to face him. Raven took a step back. The fire canines filled the space in between. For the first time since they met, the two realized that they sat on opposite sides of the priority spectrum. A wall rose up between the trainers and not just through the fire canines. It was Aria's creation. Blocks of animosity were held together by mortar made of stress that had sat for far too long. Shock coated the wall, sealing all within. Raven felt blindsided by Aria's hostility until he realized that the wall dividing them did not spring up out of nowhere. It always existed. Only now did Aria choose to hide behind it. Raven could not give up without a fight. He would not be the reason Dragon Fang got a hold of her and killed her.

"You need to stay under police protection," Raven tried to explain.

"Because that's been so helpful thus far," Aria snapped.

"Hey, we've done everything in our power to protect you."

"I can protect myself."

"You're safer under our care than anywhere else."

"Well forgive me if I don't believe you!"

Aria put a hand to her face and turned away. The echo of her shout faded in the grass. She whirled back around with white knuckles.

"For the past three days, I've experienced nothing but hell," she began. "I've been beaten, traumatized, harassed, injured, and blamed for something I didn't do and know nothing about. I tried going to the police and you know what they did, they blasted me away like a sewer rat, put me in cuffs, and accused me of treason. Did I kill anyone on the ship? Did I sue you for everything you're worth? Did I continue to run when I didn't have to? Did you see me ducking for cover when shit hit the fan? I'm covered head to toe in this mess all because I listened to you when you told me that everything would be alright. I trusted you. I really did, but after facing death for the third time this week, I'm starting to feel like I'm better off on my own!"

The truth finally came out. Aria hated the police, the government, and the system. She blamed them for everything. Every word Marshall threatened her with, every shot the police took at her on the Surf, and every judgmental glance she ever received strengthened her hatred. And at the heart of it all was the rage and betrayal she felt from last year's incident that spurred Sebastian's probation. It all led back to that one incident. Aria once tried to take the blame for it. She now understood that it was a mistake. She was a good trainer. It was the police that failed her. A _thunderbolt_ of guilt struck Raven into paralysis. Aria's fury gave way to repressed emotion. Her lip quivered. She looked away. It felt good to pass on the blame but her soul was too honest to leave it at just that. There was more to the law and its officers than the failures she experienced. A few good souls still wandered those murky waters. The officers of the escort risked their lives to protect her when they barely knew her. Raven did everything he could to stop the tsunami of chaos from washing her away even though it blackened his reputation. Aria felt the static of Raven's guilt.

"You think I don't realize that this is all because of me?" she whispered.

Rolo and Lopo turned away from Raven. He was no longer the one causing their trainer distress. They pawed at Aria's legs. She could not look down to them. Gravity would pull the tears from her eyes. But their presence gave her strength and reminded her of what was truly bothering her: Sebastian was still locked away. The warmth and light of the fire canines pushed the _dream eater_ back into the shadows of her mind. The ranger pulled strength from them.

"I'm not going to another safe house," she stated. "I can't keep running. I don't want to hide forever. I would rather fight until the very end than keep looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. It's why I didn't want witness protection and why I don't care to have it now. I won't abandon my family."

"If you go home now, you'll only endanger yourself and your family," Raven explained. "Dragon Fang risked attacking a police convoy because they think you're that big of a threat. If they're willing to do that then there's no telling what else they might do."

Aria kept her gaze on the canines. She never intended to put her family in danger. Protecting the mountain was what she lived for and that included her home. Being on the mountain surged confidence into her system. She wanted that high after being thrown around so hard for the past few days. But the truth was, the mountain was not whole and her confidence was rattled. Raven lost some of his frustration. He was so furious with the damage Dragon Fang did to the precinct that he forgot to see the wounds on the victim in front of him. He softened his approach.

"I can't force you to come with me," Raven said with a glance to the canines. "But I can tell you that if you leave now, everything that happened in the forest will be for nothing. Yes, things haven't exactly gone to plan but I'm still here and I'll do everything I can to keep you safe. And, I can only do that if you are willing to cooperate."

Aria pulled up from the guilt. She measured the truth in Raven's eyes. It was easy to forget the troubles of others when you're drowning in your own. Life dealt each of them a poor hand and their turn was coming up. Aria gauged her cards. Raven looked at his. Both had a full house in black. Aria folded and turned her gaze away. She would never forgive herself if Dragon Fang attacked her family and friends. The police had hurt her just as much as Dragon Fang but they were also trying to reconcile for their mistakes. The escort was proof. She had to see Raven as the musketeer she first met not Detective William Snow. Aria peeked beyond the walls of her fortress. Embarrassment crept up alongside her. She turned her cheek into her shoulder to try and hide it.

"I'm sorry for shouting," Aria mumbled.

"Don't be," Raven corrected. "You have every right to be angry. It's not like we've done everything right up until this point."

Aria refrained from a sarcastic "no kidding" and Raven returned the gesture with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier," Raven admitted. "I'm just as frustrated as you are. This whole thing has gotten out of control. The ones we should be screaming at is-"

"Dragon Fang," Aria finished.

"They've been one step ahead of us this entire time."

"Then I guess we should pick up the pace."

The two exchanged a smirk. Things may just work out after all. Aria would cooperate until things cooled down a little and Raven would do his best to end the situation as quickly as possible. They slowly returned to the picnic table. Now that they both released a little steam, it was easier to think. At the moment, the situation was not as bleak as first expected. Sergeant Marshall was the only one who knew where they were and what status they were in. Everyone else probably thought they were dead, especially after _teleporting_ so recklessly. It was a great advantage. The only problem now was finding somewhere safe to hide out for the next week or so.

"You said you had friends near Reinfield or somewhere," Aria prompted.

"Yeah, but I think we're going to have to go south of it. It's farther than I thought."

Raven leaned into the map. He ran his fingertips back and forth against possible trails and destinations. His calculations mapped out potential routes, safety points, and problem areas. Their next destination had to be a place where they could hide and blend in. It was a difficult task considering Dragon Fang seeded the region. They needed a place with various modes of transportation in case of an emergency that prompted a quick escape. Raven put his finger on a small city on the coast.

"Shellport. I've got friends there that can help us out but it's not exactly a town of high standards," he said. "It's probably not the safest or easiest place to hide in either."

"What about Helix, that's the closest big city," Aria added.

"It may look good on the outside but the inside is rotten. I wouldn't want to stay there for long. But it is bigger and has better transportation. . ."

"I'm not familiar with either but if I had to go to a new place in a time of crisis, I would want to make sure someone was there to watch my back."

". . . You're right. We'll go to Shellport then. The fastest way to get there is through Helix. From the looks of it, we'll have to walk until we get to it. There's no buses, rental cars, or train stations in Harvest Creek. It's probably better that way. No one will question us if they think we are on a journey and it's easier to stay off the grid."

Now this was something Aria felt comfortable with. If they were going to pose as ace trainers on a journey then they would be walking, and walking for miles was Aria's specialty. Things suddenly felt a thousand times more manageable. Raven started mapping out their trip.

"Now, we could follow route 47 but that would-," Aria snorted and cut off the rest of his sentence.

"What, you don't like it? We could change to route-,"

"No, no, no," Aria interrupted.

She waved Raven away from the map.

"Stop. Please, you're killing me."

"What's wrong?"

"Your way is fine and all, if you're looking to hitchhike and get stopped by the police. If we're trainers then we have to walk like trainers."

"Fine, if you know so much, you map it out."

Aria gladly took over. She did not want Raven to carry the burden by himself anyway. It was time to prove that she was more than the helpless victim.

"Wait here," Aria said.

She got up and jogged down to the outlet with her canines in tow before Raven could stop her. Her figure disappeared around a corner and reappeared a few minutes later. She returned, took away Raven's road/ tourist map, and replaced it with a topographic map and trainer guide. With these, they could view distinguished trainer routes, pokeshops, and pokemon centers. Aria could also gauge how long their 'journey' would take. Taking into account breaks and sleep, she estimated that it would take about a day and a half to two days to get to Helix and then from there, two/three days to get to Shellport.

"We're going to need some supplies if we're going to hike. They'll be pokemon parks and vending machines along the way but it won't be enough," Aria explained.

Raven thought about how much coin they had left. He didn't tell Aria that one of the reasons they were going to walk is because their clothes cost him almost all of his cash. There was little to work with. Gear would cost him the rest of it, not including food and shelter. Luckily, he was not alone. Aria had snagged her wallet from her bag before the ambush. She pulled it out from her bra and counted out how much cash she had. It was a decent sum and Raven insisted that the department would reimburse her when it was all over. Aria did not expect much. She didn't care about the money anyway. The only reason she remembered to grab her wallet was because it had her pokemon license in it. Without it, Sebastian would never be released. With a plan laid out, the two went back to the Greyblade outlet. They received a discount on all pokegear purchases because of their previous apparel purchase. Raven bought a set of gear and received a first aid kit, water bottle, and three variety pokeballs for free. It was a good day for both representative and customer. Raven saved enough money in the purchase to make a stop at the pokemon center before they left. With all parties healed, they left Harvest Creek.

The journey to Shellport was quiet at first. It was hard to find words after hashing through a trauma with insults and personal bias. Small talk seemed inadequate against the boiling tempers and unstable emotions fueling both parties. Aria enjoyed the silence. It brought order back into existence. There was enough of it to organize all she experienced in the woods and find peace with it through the rhythm of her steps. The ache in her muscles became a background annoyance and soon stress released its hold and Aria's mind wandered. It fell into her favorite subject, pokemon. Rolo and Lopo walked at her side. Raven walked alone. His relationship with pokemon was strained. Aria wondered why. The only reason she could come up with was bad experience. But now was not the time to pry. They were both still too raw with recent events.

A few hours into the hike, Raven began to falter. His skin paled and his limbs grew heavy. He fell back behind Aria and struggled to keep up. She took point the entire time with a pace unbelievably fast for someone with a knee injury. Raven was starting to doubt that she was ever hurt at all. She didn't lie when she said she hiked a mountain for a living. When Aria glanced back, she asked if he was feeling alright. The injuries he sustained during the fight were piling on top of lingering _teleportation_ sickness. Raven denied exhaustion but Aria slowed the pace anyway. Questions about his health led to conversation about the fight in the woods. They each gave their account of what happened. Raven made a mental note of Aria's gengar sighting and found humor in her tale of the reappearing arbok. He also took the opportunity to tell Aria everything he knew about his assignment and Dragon Fang without the censorship of the police department or DA's office. This case of mistaken identity had finally fallen into extremes. The topic left both of them in somber silence.


	33. Into the Woods Arc: 5

Into the Woods Arc: 5

Things were running smoothly at the heart of Mile City. Not a single accident clogged the streets and nice weather encouraged more foot traffic than usual. The steel and glass skyline looked exceptionally crisp against the blue sky dotted with a few cotton candy clouds. One pillar of business and notoriety stood out from the rest. This sword of enterprise touched the heavens in architecture inspired from a lotus blossom. The headquarters of the Greyblades was by far one of the most dazzling and eye catching pieces of the city. Engineers had to stop and admire the wonder every time it came within sight. The front doors were twined out of ribbons of glass and silver metal that stayed true to the whimsical nature of the building without losing a single ounce of its professionalism. The two doors gladly swung open for their favorite occupant. Liam Valenis nodded to the two king worthy doormen and walked into the lobby. An attendant was already waiting for him inside. Meeting Liam directly like this was a rarity. She quickly fell into step with the CEO as he passed through the door. Liam's strides were too powerful to let hesitation slow her down. The attendant exchanged his jacket for a business portfolio.

"Good afternoon, Meredith," Liam said with a small glance. "Is that a new dress? It's strikingly classic, perfect for your features."

"Thank you, Sir," she nervously replied.

Liam Valenis knew her name. Her life was complete. The two remained quiet as they continued through the lobby. The inside had just as much luster as the outside. Live plants and trees grew in large marble square blocks. Open arches anchored by hand carved pillars separated two lounges filled with leather and mahogany furniture. The lobby retained all the formality and sharpness of a business building with the luxurious feeling of a five star hotel. Businessmen and Greyblade trainers mingled throughout the space. Certain well tamed and approved pokemon also indulged in the amenities. Raine was waiting in the center walkway. Liam flipped open the portfolio and unconsciously slowed. Meredith dropped away with a bowed head to let her mentor take over. A small wink told her she did well. Raine replaced her without a heel out of step. She walked alongside Liam towards the front desk.

"I assume the meeting went well," she said. "Otherwise, you would have already taken off your hat."

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Liam replied. "Just a few old men trying to squirm their way into our good graces. They lapped up my proposal like baby Skitty."

"You do have the sweetest milk around."

Liam closed the portfolio with a snazzy flick of the wrist.

"You should come with me next time. They would stare at your brilliance so hard I could practically put the pen in their hands."

Raine smiled and tucked away the compliment. They approached the front desk.

"Some papers for you to sign Mr. Valenis," the receptionist said, pushing two papers and a pen forward.

"Oh the paperwork," Liam lamented in a playful sigh. "My hand gets tried from all of the papers I have to sign."

Liam's personality and behavior spawned many crushes amongst the staff. His nonchalant unconscious flirting was one of his more uncontrollable quirks. The receptionist smiled and continued with her duties. She was used to it but never stopped enjoying it. Liam winked at Raine with the comment. They both knew paperwork was not his primary concern.

Up above, fresh light streamed in from the skylights. They were specifically designed to allow flying pokemon curriers inside. The nice weather kept one perpetually open, allowing a currier to pass silently inside. There were so many curriers coming and going on a daily basis that no one in the lobby even realized it was there. Raine, Liam, and the receptionist were the only ones who noticed. A spearow landed on the front desk with a flap of its wings. Its claws clacked against the granite. The species was a surprise. Spearow were not commonly used as curriers. They were slower than taillow and pidgey but their durability made them useful. Their short sturdy wings could muscle through rain and retain heat in winter. The ability to run across the ground for a few short steps or jump from obstacle to obstacle in short bursts of speed made their navigation innovative when problems arose. Spearow were also equipped with sharp talons and an even sharper beak. These curriers had the highest delivery rate no matter _who_ or what tried to stop them. Spearow ignored everyone except for Liam and hopped a little closer. Raine's smile disappeared immediately. Liam kept up appearances. Spearow held out its leg to reveal a small steel weather proof canister. Liam removed the contents inside. The pokemon took off as he unraveled the slender strip of paper.

It read: "Compromised by D.F. Package lost."

Liam did not need more than a few seconds to understand. The paper slowly crumpled in his hand. The calm severity of Liam's voice would have made a gengar shudder.

"Raine, do you remember that book I gave you last year for your birthday?" he said.

"Yes, Sir," she answered.

It was hard to forget. This book was no ordinary work of fiction. It was a book containing all the black and underhanded dealings of anyone and everyone Liam or the Greyblades had ever worked with. It was lined with secrets that brought emperors to their knees and dictators to their graves. The information was so powerful it would shake the building blocks of business and threaten civil war. Reading each word was like opening a present on your birthday with the anticipation of the next already winding up against the first. A sentence of these words was enough to destroy a livelihood. Liam had a novel. He slowly turned to Raine.

"Go get it," he said. "I think it's time we read it."

Raine nodded and quietly turned for the elevator. Her suspicions were confirmed. It was bad news and someone was about to meet the edge of the Greyblades' finest sword.


End file.
